Shadows
by Zanza Writer-for-Hire
Summary: Michiko and Yoshi, two kids on the run, are connected with some one Kenshin knows...But who? And how? Please read to find out!!
1. Prologue

_I must go on...I must go on...I cannot let him...Must go..._

Michiko Atokata forced herself to keep walking. She was so close. So very close to freedom. The little boy in her arms whimpered slightly and she clutched him tighter. She knew he was afraid, but so was she and there was nothing to be done about it. 

Her vision blurred for a second and she stopped. She was so tired. She was losing strength every moment and could barely make herself walk any farther. Only the burning desire to keep Yoshi safe drove her to press on. 

Sweat trickled down her face and she gasped for breath. Something was seriously wrong here; it was too quiet. Hunger and fatigue were working away at her. But she couldn't stop. Yoshi was far too important to her. 

One step...She stumbled; fell to her knees. Looking up, she thought she saw a tall man staring down at her. She reached one shaky hand heavenward. "...Don't...let...Yoshi...die..." Then she lost consciousness. 


	2. Chapter 1

"Where did you find her again?"  
  
"In the woods...She was running from something -carrying the kid- and she passed out. It looked like she was forcing herself to keep going."  
  
"She looks so young...Maybe around sixteen or seventeen. I doubt she's any older than that."  
  
"I...I'm sixteen..." Michiko whispered. Her eyelids seemed to weigh a ton each. She tried to sit up, but fell back on the futon. Where was she? What had become of Yoshi? The little boy was nowhere to be seen. Was he okay? He was only two; if he wasn't there, there was no way he'd survive on his own. "Wh-where is...Yoshi? What have you...d-done with him?"  
  
"Your brother is fine."  
  
She blinked. The man she'd glimpsed in the forest before she passed out stared down at her. "My brother...? Oh, yes, my..." She trailed off, her eyes falling shut again. He was a nice looking guy, with brown hair and eyes. He had looked worried while looking down at her. Could he be worried about her? No; that was impossible. He didn't even know her, nor did she know him.  
  
Michiko opened her eyes again to find him looking at the woman next to him. "Will she be all right?"  
  
"She should be. She needs a lot of rest and a good meal."  
  
"And the boy?"  
  
"He's fine. It seems that he's been well fed and rested. She must've given up everything for him. He's lucky to have such a nice sister." The woman rose to her feet, "Better let her sleep, Sanosuke."  
  
He nodded, following her form the room. He stopped in the doorway. "Don't go dying on me, Missy. I don't want to be stuck with the kid."  
  
She smiled weakly. "...I won't..."  
  
Once alone, she pondered the state of her life, trying to remember all the recent events. She'd been running through the woods, carrying Yoshi because he was too small to keep up. It'd been days since she left, she didn't have any food and she was exhausted. Then she'd fallen and there was that man and she begged him to keep Yoshi alive...He must've brought her to the house. How much time had passed between when she'd fainted and right then? Who were these people and why did the man seem vaguely familiar? And Yoshi...they thought he was her brother. She laughed wryly to herself.  
_  
It's better this way_, she told herself, _better if they think that._ _Let them believe what they wanted. If they wanted to think he was her brother, so be it then_.   
_  
He won't find us here._ Relief washed over her as this thought crossed her mind. She was both physically and mentally drained and didn't think she could possibly run any more. _Yoshi and I are safe._ She closed her eyes. _I won't have to keep running..._  
  
***  
  
When next she woke, Michiko felt much better. She managed to sit up this time. Sunlight streamed through the window, falling across her face. She shrank back into the shadows; the light made her eyes hurt. Then she smiled slightly. Everything would be okay.  
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
She looked up. There in the doorway stood the man, Yoshi in his arms. The little boy slid out of his arms. He ran to her; hugged her furiously. She sat him on her lap, looked back up at the man. She had suddenly realized why exactly she had recognized him and it made her leery of him. "I'm okay, I guess." She said slowly. Hunger gnawed at her stomach, "I'm pretty hungry though. I haven't eaten anything in days."  
  
"You gave everything to the kid, didn't you? Any food you had, you let him eat." His brown eyes rested on the little boy.  
  
"Yes." She agreed, "I had to keep Yoshi alive and well. He's very dear to me."  
  
"What's your name? Mine's-"  
  
"I know who you are." She cut him off, "You're Zanza, Fighter for Hire."  
  
He looked surprised for a moment, then he smiled. "Not any more. I used to be Zanza. Now I'm just plain old Sanosuke Sagara . And you are...?"  
  
"Michiko. Michiko Atokata. This is Yoshi." She said, a trace of wariness in her voice, "I thank you for saving us, Sagara-San."  
  
"It was no big deal..." He scratched his head, "What were you doing out there, Michiko? What were you running from? You looked terrified."  
  
"Um..." Her head bowed, causing her dark hair to fall into her eyes, "I..." A pause, "I was trying to keep Yoshi safe."  
  
"From who? Or what? What happened to your parents?"  
  
"They died. We have no one but but each other. I cannot lose him now; then I would have nothing."  
  
Sanosuke looked at her silently for a long time. She was small and slight, with sad eyes and short, dark hair. Yoshi looked a lot like her, with the same eyes and glossy hair. He sat on her lap, clinging to her. They looked like scared rabbits.  
  
"He's lucky to have you." He finally said as gently as possible. It was very obvious that something had frightened them both badly and he didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable. There was something about her...She was like a shadow --thrown into darkness she would disappear, but put in the light she would grow stronger . Yet she seemed to shrink away from the light.  
  
She brushed her bangs from her forehead, revealing an ugly bruise on her brow. Sanosuke reached forward, catching her hand gently in his to get a better look. Her eyes widened and she pulled away. "Please don't hurt me!"  
  
His mouth fell open. "You...you think I'm going to hurt you?" He asked in disbelief, "Why would you think such a thing?"  
  
A few tears slid down her face. "I...I'm sorry."  
  
"Who's hurt you? Some one's hurt you before or you wouldn't think that. You've been abused, haven't you? Was it the person you're running from?"  
  
"He...he said I was disobedient.That I didn't know my place. He hit me when I was out of line."  
  
"Who did?"  
  
"I can't tell you! I would be putting Yoshi in danger if I told you too much."   
  
"What about you? Aren't you in danger too? This guy'll come looking for you, right?"  
  
"Probably. But he must not find me. Or at least he must not find Yoshi. I will not let him take Yoshi back." She said desperately, "Please, promise he will not find us."  
  
"I can't keep you safe if I don't know who I'm keeping you safe from."  
  
"Sagara-San, please." Her hands gripped his collar, "You'll protect me." She begged.  
  
Yoshi looked up at Sanosuke, a pleading look on his face. He spoke not a word, but his eyes said it all.   
  
They both looked so pathetic that he felt sorry for them. "I'll try my best, Missy, but it'll be hard since I don't know who's after you. I'm not making any promises."  
  
"I am sorry. Please understand; I cannot tell you. Not until I know that I can trust you."  
  
"Fair enough. You're scared and I won't bully things out of you. But I don't want you living in fear. That's not right."  
  
She smiled faintly. Sanosuke seemed like a nice man, but she wouldn't take any more chances. "That woman who was with you before...Is she your wife?"  
  
A bemused look crossed his face. "My wife? Ha! That's a good one." He laughed, "Megumi's no more my wife than I'm the Battôsai."  
  
The Battôsai?" Her expression was hard to read, but her eyes held a trace of terror. Yoshi buried his face in her shoulder. "You mean the legendary manslayer? Who killed mercilessly during the revolution?"  
  
"That'd be him." He stood up, "C'mon. Let's go down to the Akabeko. I'll get you something to eat and he might be there."  
  
"The Battôsai? Here?"  
  
"Sure. He's harmless. We're friends."  
  
"Friends with him? You can't be...I won't..." She jumped to her feet, Yoshi clutched tightly to her chest. She looked wildly around for a way out.  
  
She ran out into the street, Sanosuke at her heals. "Wait!" He yelled, "Come back!"  
  
She felt lightheaded as she ran. Yoshi was crying and his choked up sobs boomed through her head. Her heart pounded, her breath came in gasps as she stumbled along. Then she tripped. Felt herself falling. Yoshi nearly slipped from her grasp, but she pulled him back. She landed heavily on the ground, sheltering the little boy from harm.  
  
"You shouldn't be runnin' around like that, Missy."  
  
Her eyes widened and sweat ran down her face. Sanosuke loomed over the two, casting a shadow across them. "No...No, please, Sagara-San...Not the Battôsai...Leave us alone." Her chin trembled. Sheer terror was written across her face.  
  
"..." He didn't know what to say to her. "Come on. I promise it'll be okay. He won't hurt you or Yoshi."  
  
"No! No; please no."  
  
"I can't leave you here." He informed her. Then he hoisted her up, practically tossing her over his shoulder. She dangled there, looking at the back of his jacket. Yoshi tried to run, but Sanosuke caught him by the wrist. "C'mon, Kiddo. You too."  
  
Yoshi tugged to free his hand while Michiko pounded on Sanosuke's back. "Let me go! Let me go, Sagara-San! I'll scream!" She threatened.  
  
"Calm down. You're in no shape to do anything." He began to stroll down the street, practically dragging Yoshi along behind him, Michiko protesting all the while.  
  
"Sano, what are you doing?" A girl's voice exclaimed shrilly.  
  
Michiko strained to see the owner of the voice. She was a girl a few years older than herself, with long dark hair pulled up in a ponytail.  
  
"Oh, Kaoru, where's Kenshin?" Sanosuke asked her.  
  
"Wait; I'm confused. Who is that girl?"  
  
"She -Hey!"  
  
Yoshi had used Sanosuke's distraction as an opportunity to escape. He pulled his hand free and tore off down the street.  
  
"Yoshi! YOSHI!!" Michiko screamed, "Yoshi, come back!" She punched Sanosuke in the back, "You idiot! Look what you've done!"  
  
"What I've done?! If you hadn't run off like that-"  
  
"Shut up! I've go to go find him!"  
  
"I don't think so." He looked at the other girl, "Kaoru, go after the kid. Take him to the dojo when you catch him. I'll meet you there and explain everything to you."  
  
"But Sano..." Kaoru's face held a very perplexed expression.  
  
"Just go!"  
  
"Right." She nodded and ran off after the little boy.  
  
Yoshi dodged and darted through the crowd. He'd been a born runner. From the time he was old enough to, he'd been running somewhere. He looked over his shoulder. The girl with the ponytail was chasing him and he didn't intend to be caught. He veered around a woman carrying a bucket and it was then that he crashed head-on into some one.  
  
"You should watch where you're going, that you should." A pleasant voice said.  
  
The boy looked up from where he sat on the ground. A man was smiling down at him from under a fringe of red hair. He looked back over his shoulder again. The girl with the ponytail was coming, yelling something as she ran. Yoshi jumped to his feet, ready to escape.  
  
"Kenshin, don't let that kid get away!" The girl shouted, just as Yoshi took one step in the opposite direction.  
  
The poor boy found himself unable to move. The red-haired man had a hold of his collar. He felt himself being lifted off the ground and panic washed over him.  
  
"This boy, Miss Kaoru? What do you want with him?"  
  
She shrugged. "Sanosuke told me to catch him. I don't know what he's done, or the girl either."  
  
"Girl?" The man asked distractedly. He was trying to control Yoshi, who was swinging wildly at him in an attempt to escape, "What girl?" A hint of confusion filled his voice.  
  
"Look, I don't know what's going on, Kenshin, but Sanosuke told me to take the kid back to the dojo and he'd be waiting there with the girl. He said he'd explain everything."  
  
"All right then." He -much to Yoshi's displeasure- tucked the boy under one arm and picked up the packages he'd been carrying. Then he prodded the girl gently along. "Let's go get this mystery solved."  
  



	3. Chapter 2

"Put me down! Put Me Down! PUT ME DOWN!!"  
  
Sanosuke sighed. Michiko was still thumping him on the back and she hit surprisingly hard for how small she was. "Would ya knock it off?" He grumbled, "You're making this a lot worse than it needs to be."  
  
"Put me down!"  
  
"Could you at least stop hitting me in the same spot? I'm going to have a hell of a bruise."  
  
Finally, she began to tire. The struggle to free herself put too much strain on her frail body. Sighing in exasperation, she gave up and there she dangled over his shoulder. "I hate you, you know." She muttered.  
  
He ignored her. "Yahiko! Hey, Yahiko, is there anything left to eat here?" He called to a boy who was sweeping the path in front of what looked to be a run-down dojo.  
  
"Nah, you're too late for-" The boy looked up, "What's with the girl?"   
  
"This," Sanosuke swung her around and set her back on her feet, "Is Michiko."  
  
She looked at Yahiko for a moment. He was a scrawny boy, with stick-up hair and wide eyes. Then she turned to glare at Sanosuke. "Why you-!" She began but her legs trembled and her knees gave way beneath her.  
  
Sanosuke caught her as she fell. She turned to look up at him, her heart pounding. He looked worried. "Yahiko, go get some water. Hurry up, before she passes out."  
  
The kid dropped the broom and scampered off. Sanosuke eased Michiko gently to the ground. Her whole body trembled and her skin felt clammy to the touch.  
  
"I told you that you weren't in any shape to be running around." He chided her.  
  
Her eyelids fluttered. "...Shut up..." She whispered hoarsely, "...You...you don't know w-what you're talking about."  
  
"Don't talk. Just rest. You'll have a lot of talking to do soon."  
  
She looked away from him. He couldn't make her tell anybody anything. She still didn't trust him, especially not if he was friends with Battôsai the Manslayer.  
  
"I got water!" Yahiko came trudging back, lugging a bucket. He plopped it down before them. "Whew! That's heavy."  
  
Michiko leaned greedily forward towards the bucket, shoving Sanosuke away from her. Cupping her hands, she dipped them into the clear water, then drank. It felt cold and good going down. She hadn't had anything in days.  
  
"Ow! He bit me!"  
  
"Quit whining. He's just a little kid."  
  
Michiko, Sanosuke and Yahiko looked up. Kaoru and Kenshin were walking towards them and Kenshin had squirming Yoshi in his arms.  
  
"Well, they caught the kid." Sanosuke said pointedly.  
  
Kenshin let the little boy go and he ran to Michiko.   
  
"How about telling us what's going on now, Sanosuke?" Kaoru demanded.  
  
"All right. This is Michiko Atokato and her brother, Yoshi. I found them in the woods yesterday. She's running from some one, but won't tell me who. Whoever it is, he's been hitting her." He pushed up her bangs to how off the bruise. She didn't fight it, just sat there quietly listening to him talk about her, "And she's trying to keep the keep the kid safe. I took them home with me and Megumi checked them out. She says the kid is fine, but Michiko isn't doing so hot. She's been giving been giving him all her food. That's pretty much it. She won't tell me any more."  
  
"And why should I?" She folded her arms across her chest, "I won't tell friends of the Battôsai anything."  
  
"I'm not going to hurt you, that I will not. I have sworn to never kill again. Battôsai is no more." Kenshin said softly.  
  
"You aren't...You're not...I don't understand." She was very confused. This man could not have been the Battôsai. "...You can't be..."  
  
"The Battôsai? He is very much me."  
  
"No! You are not!" She shook her head, trying to make sense of her jumbled thoughts.  
  
Kenshin's face darkened. "People do not see the truth any longer; it has been obstructed by Gohei's lies and falsities." He frowned, "My name is Kenshin Himura. During the revolution I was indeed Battôsai the Manslayer. Now I am nothing more than a simple wanderer and I have sworn to protect the innocent."  
  
"If you need help, you should trust Kenshin."  
  
Michiko's gaze traveled to the person who'd just spoken to her; the girl with the ponytail. "And who are you to tell me what to do?" She asked snidely.  
  
Kaoru's face flushed red with anger and she clenched her fist.  
  
Sanosuke, noticing her expression, jumped into the conversation. "Where are my manners?" He said lightly, "Kenshin's introduced himself. That's Kaoru Kamiya -this is her family's dojo- and her student, Yahiko Myojin." He leaned towards Michiko, "Be nice. Kaoru can get violent."  
  
"I heard that!" Kaoru fumed.  
  
"Miss Kaoru, please calm down." Kenshin still sounded just as calm as before, "Perhaps you'd allow Miss Michiko to use your bath."  
  
That did sound appealing. Michiko was filthy. It'd been a very long time since she'd had a hot bath. She nodded eagerly. "That would be very nice. I'm sorry I reacted so badly to you all." She paused, "It is hard to tell who I can trust."  
  
"Can you please take her to get cleaned up, Miss Kaoru? Kenshin asked.  
  
"All right, Kenshin." She turned to the younger girl, "Come on."  
  
"But..." She looked at Yoshi, still sitting on her lap.  
  
"Kenshin can take care of him. He's good with kids."  
  
Michiko nodded. She stood up and set Yoshi down on the ground. Kenshin smiled at him, but he just sat there. His lower lip trembled and tears filled his dark eyes.  
  
As the two girls walked away together, Kenshin knelt to be level with the little boy. "Don't worry." He said pleasantly, "Everything will be okay; that it will."  
  
Yoshi burst into tears. He cried noisy sobs, snuffling and wiping his eyes with his fist. Then he scurried behind Sanosuke and stood there peering out from behind his legs. Kenshin looked dejected, but a pleasantly surprised look crossed Sano's face. "Well what do you know." He lifted Yoshi up onto his shoulders and the boy smiled, "I didn't think the kid liked me."  
  
A smile lit Kenshin's face. "You can keep him entertained then. I'm sure Miss Michiko is very hungry. I'm going to go make lunch."  
  
"So," Yahiko smirked deviously, "What is it about that girl? You got a thing for her or somethin'? Isn't she a little young for you?"  
  
Sanosuke looked at him as if he had two heads. "What are you? Insane? How could I have a thing for her? A girl like that, I could break her in two. Plus, she's no fox. She's just a scared kid."  
  
"So what are you letting her hang around you for, huh?"  
  
"She needs help. Some one's hurt her pretty bad."  
  
"Still; you're really chummy with her."  
  
"You should just quite while you're ahead. Just stop now. I don't want to hurt you in front of a toddler."  
  
"What's up with the kid? He should be able to talk, shouldn't he? He's old enough."  
  
"Yeah, but I haven't heard him say anything."  
  
Yoshi had been busy untying the red bandana Sanosuke wore around his head. He pulled it off, causing Sano's hair to fall into his eyes, and waved it around. He giggled happily, patting Sano on the head.  
  
***  
  
"Here's a towel. You can take your time in there." Kaoru had taken Michiko to the bath house and given her a towel and a bar of soap, "When you're done, i'll give you something clean to wear."  
  
"Thank you very much for your kindness. I'm afraid I'm not good at returning such gestures." The girl hung her head, her face pink with embarrassment, "I don't deserve this nice treatment. I'm worthless."  
  
"Who told you that?" Kaoru seemed angry, "Who said you're worthless?"  
  
"He said it all the time. Said my life was nothing. Said I was no one. Everyday." She dipped her hand in the bath water, testing its temperature. Then she began to undress.  
  
"Who did? Who's _he'?"  
  
"Look at me." She let hr clothes fall to the floor, revealing a series of deep purple bruises, "Do you understand now? I can't keep living like this. If there's any chance he may find me, I will not say his name."  
  
"Oh my..." Kaoru's hand went up to her mouth, "This is very serious. You could be in terrible danger."  
  
"I'll be okay as long as he doesn't find me." She slid into the bath, "And Sagara-San promised to keep Yoshi safe."  
  
"Only Yoshi? No one's going to keep you safe? Your life is worth something too, you know."  
  
Michiko did not respond. She was very quiet for a long time. Then she said at last, "Miss Kaoru? What is it like to have some one care about you? It seems that I have forgotten and you all care for one another very much. I can tell."  
  
Kaoru looked at Michiko for a moment. An image of Sanosuke with her flung over his shoulder sprang into her mind. She smiled softly. "I think you'll know soon enough, Michiko."  
  
***  
  
"Do you know what my mother told me once?"  
  
"No; what?"  
  
"She said that as long as there is a shadow, there's hope for a brighter future. But as soon as darkness falls, all hope is gone. You cannot have shade without light. A shadow is stronger the brighter the light. Sagara-San's shine will give me strength; I can tell."  
  
Kaoru smiled. Michiko had turned out to be very pretty once she was clean and in nice clothes. Being shorter and smaller, she looked lost in the kimono Kaoru had given her and there were dark circles under her eyes, but her appearance had drastically improved over what it had been.  
  
"C'mon, I think Kenshin's been cooking."  
  
"He cooks for you?"  
  
"Oh, sure. All the time. It's one of those little things he does to be nice to other people. And he's a better cook than I am anyway." She grinned, "If you stay with Sano, you'll be eating here a lot. He's a free-loader."  
  
"Is he now?"  
  
"Sure. But he's a good guy. If he said he'll keep you safe, he'll do it. He causes problems for Kenshin sometimes so he likes to feel useful."  
  
"I..." Michiko looked down at her feet, "I told him that I hate him."  
  
"He'll get over it. Now let's go eat!"  
  
"Right!"  
  
***  
  
"You look much better now, Miss Michiko."  
  
Kenshin's voice startled Sanosuke and he looked up from Yoshi, who sat at his feet. Michiko certainly did look different. Her damp hair fell softly across her forehead, hiding the bruise. Her cheeks had some color and she looked almost happy. There had indeed been a noticeable change in her appearance.  
  
Yahiko nudged him. "She's not looking so bad any more, is she?"  
  
"Shut up!" He pushed the boy away.  
  
Yoshi raised his arms to her and Michiko picked him up. "Were you a good boy for Sagara-San?" Smiling, the boy handed her the bandana. "Oh!" She looked at Sanosuke. He was staring at her, his hair falling in his face. She almost started to laugh, but her face flushed red instead. "Here. I'm sorry if he caused trouble."  
  
"He was fine. Yoshi's a good kid." He tied the bandana back around his head.  
  
"Thank you for watching him."  
  
"No problem. You must be starving. Kenshin made lunch."  
  
Michiko ate like eating was going out of style. Counting the days, she figured it'd been about a week since she'd had a real meal. "This is very good, Himura-San." She said between a mouthful.  
  
"Thank you, Miss Michiko. And you may call me Kenshin. We're all friends here, that we are."  
  
"Friends?" She swallowed, "I haven't had a friend in a long time." Tears filled her eyes, "I am very grateful to all of you."  
  
"You don't need to cry about it." Kaoru smiled.  
  
The younger girl wiped her eyes. "I can't help it. 'Happy' is not something I feel very often."  
  
"You'll be happy a lot if you're around Kenshin. As long as no one's trying to kill any of us, he's happy."  
  
Michiko smiled. Then an amazing thing happened. She laughed. Her laugh seemed to bubble up from deep within her and rise to the clouds. It felt very good to laugh.  
  



	4. Chapter 3

"What do you think of her, Kenshin?"  
  
Some time had gone by and a regular routine including the Atokatas had been established. Michiko followed Sanosuke around as if she were his shadow. She still called him "Sagara-San" and still refused to reveal any more of her past, but she was safe and happy. She seemed to be gaining some weight and didn't seem quite as twig-like any longer. She'd gotten herself some clothing that fit properly. Yoshi too seemed to thrive. The past was fading quickly from his mind and he became a very cheerful boy. He didn't talk and he preferred Sanosuke over Kenshin -which puzzled both men- but every one was rather fond of him.  
  
Kenshin looked at Sanosuke for a moment, then his violet gaze traveled to where Michiko was playing in the yard with Yoshi, Aiyami and Suzume. "She is very nice, Sano. Polite and respectful. Yet the respect she knows is one spawned of fear. Whatever has happened to her, it has left her very frightened."  
  
"I know what you mean." Sano was watching her as she lifted Yoshi up and he hugged her, "She seems happy, but she's still living with the fear that her past will catch up with her."  
  
"If she fears it is too close, she will run again."   
  
"I wish she'd tell us who did that to her. I'd really like to pound 'im, whoever he is. That was a rotten thing to do to the little girl. She still doesn't trust me. Never calls me by my first name. I'm letting her stay with me and she hates me."  
  
"I do not think she hates you; that she does not. I think she likes you very much."  
  
"Are you kidding me? She tells me she hates me on a daily basis, Kenshin."  
  
"You must understand that hating the man who hurt her was her only defense. She knows nothing but how to hate. It keeps her from getting too attached to some one who could end up hurting her."  
  
Sanosuke sighed. He was getting attached to her and he wouldn't mind if she got attached to him too. He wanted to keep both her and Yoshi safe from harm. He looked over at her again. She had Yoshi on her shoulders and Suzume was dragging her off to show her something. She was laughing she truly looked happy. He could easily get used to her being around.  
  
***  
  
Sanosuke awoke that night to the sound of Michiko's crying. He found her hunched up in the corner of the small apartment, her face buried in her hands.   
  
"Michiko?" He whispered, "What's wrong?"  
  
Startled, she looked up, wiping away her tears. "I'm sorry," She said softly, "I know that I'm putting you in danger by being here. If he finds us here...especially since I am with you...he will try to hurt you. But I don't know what else to do or where else to go."  
  
"It'll be okay. No one'll find you here. Everything's going to be fine."  
  
"No it won't!" She looked up, a wild look in her dark eyes, "You don't understand. Saying that doesn't make it all right. Yoshi, he's nearly forgotten everything already. It's fading from his mind. I don't want him to ever know any of that ever again. He doesn't deserve it."  
  
"Neither do you. When are you going to understand that your life is worth fighting for?" He brushed a lock of hair from her eyes, "You can't let anything happen to yourself and leave him all alone."  
  
She swatted his hand away, fresh tears welling up in her eyes. "I hate you. I hate you so much." The coldness of her whisper could have frozen hell, "You made me care. You made me feel something other than emptiness. I'm a shadow; I'm not supposed to feel. You aren't supposed to care about me. It's all wrong." She shrank back so that only half her face was visible in the moonlight, "I despise you."  
  
He felt cold and numb. Kenshin was right; she didn't want to get close to him because the last person she'd trusted had taken advantage of her trust. What kind of person could have done such a thing? "You're not a shadow." He grabbed her arm, pulling her from the corner and forcing her to look at him, "You just don't let yourself shine."  
  
Her eyes went wide and she stared at him, her mouth slightly open. Her tiny body quaked with fear and tears rolled off her cheeks, "Please don't..." She whispered.  
  
Sanosuke's eyes met hers and he could see sheer terror was written across her face. She was afraid of him. "Michiko...I didn't mean..." He dropped her hand, took a step back, "I'm sorry." He had promised to keep her safe and there she was, afraid of him. He looked away, too ashamed to face her.  
  
The, much to his surprise, he felt her thin arms around his waste. He looked down. She was crying into his chest. Her gaze traveled upwards, tears pouring down her face. "...I don't hate you..." Her voice was barely audible.  
  
"I know." He hugged her back, "I know. You're afraid."  
  
"I don't want to be afraid any more." She sobbed, "I want my turn to shine."  
  
"You were born to shine. I can tell."  
  
"Promise, if something happens to me; promise you'll keep Yoshi safe. Please, promise me."  
  
He tilted her chin, studying her face. She looked scared, her dark eyes wide and haunted. "I promise."  
  
A relieved smile crossed her face. "Thank you." She yawned.  
  
"Go back to sleep, Michiko." His hand ran across her cheek, "It'll look better in the morning; I promise."  
  
She nodded, yawning again. She was emotionally drained and wanted to do nothing more than stay there safe in his arms. Her head rested on against his chest and she could feel his heart pounding. "I love you, Sanosuke." She whispered.  
  
Then she removed his arms from around her, pulled away from him. He watched, his eyes wide, mouth open, as she walked back into the darkness.  
  
***  
  
"Good morning, Sagara-San."  
  
Sanosuke looked at Michiko, feeling slightly confused. Had he been dreaming the night before? She had called him Sanosuke...hadn't she? Why was she back to all the formality? Had that been some moment of vulnerability or did she just slip and call him that? What had happened between them?  
  
"Last night," She said, as if reading his mind, "I was not thinking straight. I was scared. I'm sorry if I worried you."  
  
"It...it's okay."  
  
"I made you breakfast." She smiled.  
  
"You made me breakfast?" He repeated stupidly.  
  
She blushed. "I thought it would be something nice I could do. I'm sorry if I was wrong."  
  
"Oh, no. It's fine. I appreciate it."  
  
Her shy smile returned. When she smiled, her whole face lit up. A great anger washed over him. She should've been happy all the time. She should never have to cry or be scared.  
  
He was surprised by her capabilities in the kitchen. "This is very good. I think you're better than Kenshin."  
  
"Thank you. He...he made me cook for him. It was one of my chores and I had to teach myself. He didn't like it at first and he..." She lowered her gaze to the floor, "He hit me when he didn't like it."  
  
"Well, you don't have to worry about that. I would never hit you, Michiko. Besides, if I can stomach Kaoru's cooking, I can eat anything."  
  
"That's not very nice."  
  
He shrugged. "Kenshin likes her food. That makes her happy."  
  
She loves him very much, doesn't she?"  
  
"Oh, sure. But I get the idea she doesn't really want any one to know. Plus she's got Megumi the Fox to compete with."  
  
"I envy her ability to love him freely. If he had loved me," She said slowly, "maybe it would be different. He loved the idea of me, the control he had over me, my inability to fight back. But then, if he had loved me, I would not know you." She sighed, "I would not know any of you."  
  
Sanosuke frowned. "I'm glad that I met you. You're a very nice person and I like having you around. But it would've been better if you'd been loved all along."  
  
"My parents loved me. I had to teach myself not to love any more. When he...when he would...It was like I left my soul somewhere. Like I wasn't there. It wasn't love." She stumbled over the words, "But when I came here, my heart came rushing back." She looked out the window, allowing the sun to wash over her face.  
  
He looked over at her. Tears were streaming down her face, catching the sunlight and shimmering as they fell. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Don't you understand?" She whispered.  
  
"I'm afraid I don't."  
  
"Then does it really matter?"  
  
"It matters to me. I don't like to see you cry."  
  
"You are very good to me, Sagara-San, but I'm afraid that my being here is not very good for you. Somehow, light is changing to shadow. I'm drawing you into the darkness with me, the more you know me, the darker you become. You need to stop caring."  
  
"I can't do that."  
  
"Then you will only get hurt." She said sadly.  
  
"I -oof!"   
  
Yoshi had come running into the room and he tackled Sanosuke in a hug. "Hey there, Kiddo." Sano lifted him over his head and Yoshi squealed with laughter.  
  
Michiko rested her hand on Yoshi's feathery hair and he looked up at her, his eyes wide with innocence. Then he grinned. She smiled, lifting him from Sanosuke's arms. "Do you want some breakfast, Yoshi?"  
  
The boy nodded eagerly. Michiko served him breakfast, then served herself. She sat next to the boy, chewing thoughtfully. "Sagara-San?" She swallowed; looked up at him, "Do you know what I would like to do today?"  
  
"What?"  
  
Her inky eyes sparkled as she smiled, "I would like to clean your home."  
  
That took him by surprise. He had not known what to expect from her; she'd never asked to do anything before. She'd just followed him everywhere, his constant shadow. He would have thought that -after all the time she spent doing what he wanted- she would want to do something more selfish. But no; if he'd learned anything over the past weeks it was that Michiko Atokata never put herself before another person.  
  
"You want to do what? What's wrong with the way it is?" He blinked.  
  
"You haven't ever cleaned here, have you?"  
  
"Is it that noticeable?"  
  
"Yes." She laughed, "You must go ask Miss Kaoru for her broom and a brush to scrub the floor with."  
  
"Well, I don't know. I kind of like it the way it is."  
  
"It will be much better; trust me. Now please go and take my Yoshi along with you so he can say hello."  
  
Her Yoshi? He looked at her for a moment, then smiled. It must've just been a slip of the tongue, her calling him that. "C'mon, Kiddo." He swung Yoshi up onto his shoulders and the boy laughed.  
  
Michiko watched as the two people she cared most for left. Then she set about pulling back as much of her short hair as she could. "This," She smiled to herself, "Will take a lot of work."  
  
***  
  
"You? You're cleaning? You are?" Kaoru had given Sanosuke the brush and the broom, but she was quite skeptical that any actual work would be done with it, "Wouldn't you rather hang around here and eat my food?"  
  
"Yeah, but she looked so happy about doing it, right Kiddo?"  
  
Yoshi nodded from where he sat on Sano's shoulders. Then he pointed at Kenshin, indicating that he wanted to get down. Sano, however, didn't notice. Kaoru was still talking to him.  
  
"You'll do anything for her, won't you?" She asked incredulously.  
  
"No." He said crossly, "I will not. But she's...Well, I'd rather have her happy." Frustration filled his voice.  
  
Yoshi stopped pointing and sighed. He wanted to get down and see Kenshin. He tugged on Sano's bandana, but still the man paid no attention.  
  
"You like her, don't you? C'mon; admit it."  
  
"Well of course I like her. But not how you mean."  
  
Kenshin smiled to himself. He'd been watching silently the whole time. His friend's face had flushed slightly pink after denying that he liked Michiko "like that." He was well aware that Sano did care for her very much and tried to please her as he saw fit. Helping her clean would be one way.  
  
"You do too!" Kaoru argued.  
  
"Like you're one to talk." Sano snorted.  
  
Then something amazing happened. Yoshi leaned around, staring at Sano, a frown on his face. His little mouth opened. "Down." He demanded in a perfectly clear voice.  
  
The three of them stared at him.  
  
"He talked." Kaoru said in disbelief.  
  
"That he did." Kenshin agreed.  
  
Sanosuke's eyes met Yoshi's. He was so surprised that he didn't know what to say and could only stare at the little boy. Then he grinned. "We've got to go tell Michiko this, Kiddo."  
  
"No; Sano, down!" The little boy repeated his demand.  
  
"All right." He set Yoshi down and the boy ran to Kenshin.  
  
"Up! Up!" He said cheerfully.  
  
Kenshin picked him up. "I knew you would talk when you were ready, Yoshi." He smiled.  
  
"Ya." The boy agreed. Then he looked around, "Yahiko?"  
  
"Miss Kaoru," Kenshin turned to the girl, "Take him to see Yahiko; if you please. I would like to speak with Sano alone for a moment."  
  
"Okay. Come on, Yoshi." She carried the little boy outside and Kenshin looked back at Sanosuke.   
  
"What's wrong, Sano? You have had a far away look in your eyes since you arrived."  
  
"Something Michiko said this morning's been bothering me."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"When she told me to bring the kid along to see you, she called him hers. 'Take my Yoshi along' she said. I've never heard her say that before."  
  
"It bothers you that much?"  
  
"Yeah. Because I don't know what she meant. She made it sound as if she owns him."  
  
"Now Sano, you know Miss Michiko better than that. Something else is bothering you, something besides that."  
  
"Last night, she was crying. I tried to get her to stop and she started to yell at me. I grabbed her by the wrist. She looked so scared and I couldn't believe what I'd done. I thought she would leave, but she just hugged me, cried harder." He seemed to have slipped into a deep reverie as he recounted what had happened; his eyes held a distant look, "She's so small...Her arms were around my waste, her head rested on my chest. She looked up at me," He paused, hesitant to repeat what he believed she had whispered to him.  
  
Kenshin looked at him encouragingly, his violet eyes full of concern. "What happened, Sanosuke?"  
  
"She told me she loved me, Kenshin."  
  
"Oh Sano..."  
  
"But then, this morning, she said she wasn't thinking right; that she was scared. So I don't know if she meant it or not."  
  
"Do you want her to mean it?"  
  
"I don't know. I don't know anything any more. I'm so confused."  
  
"Just let her be. In time she will shine; that she will. Part of her wants to love you, I believe. But the other part is still too afraid to love. She'll come around. All things time will heal."  
  
"I suppose you're right, Kenshin. You usually are," Sano smiled off-handedly, "I just hate seeing her cry. It reminds me of everything that's wrong in the world. But I better get going. See you later." He sauntered outside, "Okay, Kiddo, ready to go?"  
  
"Sano!" Yoshi leapt into his arms, "Home?"  
  
"That's right, Kiddo. We're going home."  
  
Kaoru watched as they left, then she went back into the dojo. "What was that all about, Kenshin?"  
  
"Oh, nothing, Miss Kaoru." A smile crossed the Battsai's face, "We were just throwing a little light on the shadow, that we were."  



	5. Chapter 4

"Are you happy? We just spent the whole day cleaning."  
  
"And your home looks wonderful now."  
  
It was early evening. Sanosuke, Michiko and Yoshi were on their was to return the broom and the brush and see about mooching some food off of Kaoru. It had taken all day, but the apartment was clean and needed to dry out. The three of them were covered in dust and grime. Michiko looked exhausted, but quite satisfied, and Yoshi was asleep in Sano's arms, his head rested on the fighter's shoulder.  
  
"You look tired."  
  
"We did work very hard, Sagara-San."  
  
"You don't need to call me that, you know."  
  
"I know." She looked at him, blushing slightly, "Thank you for letting me do that."  
  
"It...it was no big deal." He stammered She was smiling at him; the cheery expression on her face was one of great pleasure. He felt hot and prickly. Is this, he wondered, what being in love feels like? Could I love her?  
  
"I can take my Yoshi. You don't need to carry him."  
  
Again with the "my." Why was she calling him that? "I don't mind. He's small and not heavy at all."  
  
"I can't believe he spoke today." Michiko said quietly.  
  
"I know." Sano kind of had the idea that she didn't want the boy to talk; that she was afraid he would say something that would get them both in trouble. He wanted to ask her about it, but he didn't dare. She'd clam up and regress back to the way she was, scared and untrusting.  
  
***  
  
"You guys are filthy!" Kaoru exclaimed upon seeing the trio.  
  
"Be quiet, Missy, or you'll wake up Yoshi." Sanosuke snapped, "The poor kid's exhausted and he doesn't need your big mouth waking him up."  
  
"Ooo! Sorry!" Kaoru squeaked.  
  
Michiko handed her the broom and brush. "Thank you very much, Miss Kaoru."  
  
"Not a problem. You got that pigsty cleaned up?"  
  
"Yes. And Sagara-San was a very big help. I would still be working if he didn't help me." She smiled up at Sanosuke, "Even Yoshi was helpful."  
  
"It actually wasn't that bad." Sano commented.  
  
"Good. Next time the dojo needs cleaning I'll let you do it. Now I suppose you want some dinner." Kaoru muttered.  
  
"Yes please." Came Michiko's hesitant reply.  
  
Sano nodded. "We need to crash here for a while so the place can dry out."  
  
"Why not go to the Akabeko? Their food's better than mine anyway, isn't it?"  
  
He grinned sheepishly. "Michiko doesn't think I should eat and run all the time."  
  
"You could get a job and take care of your tab, you know."  
  
"Don't get carried away, Missy."  
  
"You could spend the evening gambling and drinking with your friends." A pause, "Or does she not like that either?"  
  
Michiko looked at her feet, her face flushed red with embarrassment. _Miss Kaoru doesn't want us here, _she thought_. She's trying to get rid of us. She had plans for the evening and we're nothing more than a terrible inconvenience._  
  
"Would you knock it off? I thought we were friends. Look, if you don't want to, you don't have to feed us. But the floor is all wet and we're staying here for a while."  
  
"You...You-"  
  
"Miss Kaoru, what's going on?" Kenshin had appeared behind Kaoru, a perplexed look on his face.  
  
"Kenshin, I can't keep feeding them all the time! I'm not made of money, you know! It's bad enough feeding you and Yahiko without the freeloader bringing extra people around."  
  
"Calm down, Miss Kaoru. If they want dinner, there's plenty for us all; that there is."  
  
"But Kenshin!"  
  
"They are our friends. We can give them something. Now come on, dinner is ready."  
  
Kaoru frowned. She didn't mind having Sanosuke and Michiko around, but she did have to worry about money or, more specifically, where the money would come from. Kenshin was a big help; he washed clothes, cooked and ran errands, but he made no money doing it, Yahiko was her student -not to mention just a kid- and Sanosuke...he did nothing all day long anyway.  
  
"Well, Kenshin, I tasted Michiko's cooking for the first time this morning and I hate to say it but she's a better cook than you." Sanosuke commented after they'd eaten.  
  
Michiko blushed, looking at her hands, which were folded in her lap. "Sagara-San, I don't cook that well. Kenshin is a very good cook."  
  
Kaoru looked over at the younger girl and sighed. Even covered in dirt and wearing a simple kimono, Michiko was quite the beauty. Something about her -maybe the innocence of her shy smile or the haunting emptiness of her eyes or maybe even the way she tried so hard to please every one- made her simply beautiful to behold. Not only that, but she was a better cook than Kaoru ever would be, she cleaned as if it were fun, and she was humble through it all. It was hard to believe that any one so pure and innocent still existed in the world.  
  
"Miss Kaoru?"  
  
Kesnhin's voice startled her back to reality. "Yeah?"  
  
"Please come help me clean up."  
  
"Wha?" She was confused for a moment. He could easily do it by himself. Then she caught sight of Sano. He was watching Michiko, a sort of dopey look on his face. "All right."  
  
"Come on, Yoshi, you can help too."  
  
"Ya!" The little boy, once he'd eaten something, was back to his normal bouncy self. He ran off after Kenshin and Kaoru.  
  
That left Sanosuke, Michiko and Yahiko sitting there. Yahiko looked at Michiko, her hands folded on her lap, the haunted look in her eyes softened by her happiness, then at Sanosuke, who was frowning at him.  
  
"Okay, I'm goin'." He muttered, "I'm sure Kaoru's got something for me to clean anyway."  
  
"Yahiko, c'mere." Kaoru beckoned him to here, holding out the broom.  
  
"I knew it." He sighed.   
  
"Here. Take this." She held it out to him, "Go sweep and stay near the two of them. Get as close as possible without looking suspicious. I want to know everything they say to each other."  
  
"Wow, that sure is sneaky!" He grabbed the broom from her hand.  
  
"Yahiko, wait." Kenshin looked up from the dishes, "I don't think that's a very good idea, Miss Kaoru; that it is not."  
  
"Aren't you curious, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked in disbelief, "Don't you want to know what's going on?"   
  
"That I do. But Miss Michiko would not feel safe were we to spy on her. She trusts Sanosuke. It is his help she has asked for, not ours. What goes on between the two of them is no business but their own."  
  
"Sometimes you're no fun."  
  
"You let them be, Miss Kaoru. When Michiko is ready to talk to us, she will." A smile crossed his face, "She is already less of a shadow than before."  
  
"There's something you know that you aren't telling us. What kind of secret are you hiding?"  
  
"I would tell you, but it is not my secret to tell."   
  
"Oh, Kenshin!" She stomped her foot, "It's not fair!"  
  
***  
  
"You've got dirt on your face."  
  
"That's not surprising." Michiko licked her finger and ran it across her cheek, wiping at the grime that had come from a day's worth of cleaning. "Is it gone?"  
  
"Nah, you just smeared it around more. And there's some here too." Sanosuke's fingers brushed across her forehead, tracing along the smudge of dirt.  
  
"You're dirty too." She touched the tip of his nose, "Right here."  
  
"That's okay." His soft brown eyes met hers, "It's just a little dirt. It'll wash off."  
  
Her haunted gaze did not travel away from his. "Sometimes you can't wash it away, no matter how hard you try." Weariness filled her voice, "Sometimes it stays with you forever."  
  
"I don't know exactly what you mean." He studied her intently, taking in her wide eyes and all the sorrows they reveled to him, "But I don't really care either. Whatever that bastard did to you, it doesn't matter."  
  
Her mouth opened slightly, giving her a startled look. She wanted to shrink back away from him, but some dangerous new feeling washed over her, drawing her closer instead. Their foreheads rested together; she could feel his cool skin against hers.  
  
She drew in a breath. _What is this longing in my heart? Why am I so shy around every one else, but so comfortable with him? I don't understand what's happening to me...Have I truly begun to shine?_  
  
"Did you mean it?" Sanosuke's voice was very soft, almost a whisper.  
  
She knew exactly what he was talking about. "I don't know." She said softly, her eyes filling with tears, "I don't know if I am capable of meaning it."  
  
Of one his fingers traced the path of the tear that slid down her cheek. She was so pretty, even when she cried. He wanted to kiss her, but wasn't sure what she'd do. Kenshin thought that she loved him and Kenshin was usually right about that sort of thing. If she loved him, she shouldn't have minded a kiss. But, he argued with himself, she's still afraid. Still locked up in herself. Her heart's still empty. But she's so damn pretty! Cautiously, he leaned closer to her. His mouth closed over hers.  
  
Her eyes widened. His kiss was so different from...Tears rolled down her face and her eyes fell shut. She hugged him tight, her face pressed up against his chest, her petite body shaking with sobs.  
  
"I won't do it again. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry. I just thought that maybe...I had to...I couldn't...I won't do it again!" He held her close, letting her cry, until she felt limp in his arms.  
  
Drained of all thought and energy, she slumped down against him, her grip on him loosening. Her dark hair fell across her damp face. "It's not your fault." Her voice was full of sorrow and tiredness. She slid down, laying her head on his lap, clutching the leg of his pants. "You tried, really you did. It's not your fault."  
  
Unconsciously, he stroked her hair. "We'll beat this guy. He hasn't won yet. Whatever he did to you, we can undo it." More than ever, he wanted to destroy the man who'd done it; to hurt him as he'd hurt her.  
  
"You can't just undo it. It's not that easy." She sighed, "But thank you for trying." A trace of his smile crossed her face, "Your kiss was so much nicer than his, Sanosuke."  
  
He half smiled, looking down at her. "I didn't think you liked it."  
  
"No..." Her eyes closed, her voice no more than a whisper, "You're so gentle. I know how strong you are, but you didn't...He was so rough with me. He forced me to..." Her finders clenched, "You give hope to hopeless. I feel stronger just being with you. You'll keep me safe. Not because I asked you to, because you want to..."  
  
"That's right." His smile softened. She was asleep, still gripping the fabric of his pants between her fingers. His hand rested on her head, stroking her hair. "I'll keep you safe because I want to."  
  
***  
  
"Sano?"  
  
"Yeah Kenshin?"  
  
"You okay?"  
  
Sanosuke nodded. Kenshin had found him sitting on the dojo's porch, Michiko asleep, her head on his lap. His hand rested on her hair and she was scrunched up so that she appeared to be much smaller than she was. A frown crossed Kenshin's face. It looked as though the poor girl had been crying.  
  
"You look like you've seen a ghost." He sat down beside Sano.  
  
"I just thought of something."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"He did more than just beat her, Kenshin. She's been trying to tell me, over and over again, but she always stops herself. She's still scared of him." Her reaction to being kissed played through his mind, "I think he raped her."  
  
"You have come to some very serious conclusions, Sano; that you have. Until she says as much, you cannot be certain." Kenshin's face darkened, "But if it is true, I cannot allow such crimes to go unpunished."  
  
"This is my battle, Kenshin. You don't need to get involved. Let me be the hero for once."  
  
"You will be the hero no matter what; that you will. Whether I am the one to stop this man or you are the one, you will be the hero in her eyes."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"She loves you, Sano. She loves you; of this I am certain. In her heart, you will always be the person who saved her, for you are the person who cared for her even when she was unlovable."  
  
"...Kenshin..."  
  
The Battôsai smiled from under his mass of flaming hair. "Yoshi is also asleep and Miss Kaoru has agreed to let you stay the night."  
  
"I'm sure she didn't agree to that without protest."  
  
"That she did not."  
  
"You're always stickin' your neck out for me, always keeping an eye on me." A pause, "Thanks."  
  
"I know how you feel about her. You want to keep her safe; to make sure no one touches her or hurts her ever again. That is love. The kind of love that will withstand the test of time -true, pure love; when you only want her to cry tears of joy. She trusts you heart and soul. She loves you very much."  
  
"Shes' trapped in the past. It all leads back tot hat one man. He haunts her night and day. She could never be happy, not knowing he's out there somewhere."  
  
"Time will heal her pain. It's already begun. Look; she's smiling. Life is about changes. Nothing stays the same." He stood up, "Good night, Sanosuke."  
  
"Night, Kenshin."  
  
Sanosuke sat there a while longer, looking down at Michiko. He brushed a strand of hair off her tear-stained face. He was worried about her. Was Kenshin right? Was more time all she needed? Somehow, he didn't think it would be enough.  
  



	6. Chapter 5

"Hey, Sano, where's your girl?"  
  
"Yeah, where's Michi?"  
  
"Ain't she following you around no more?"  
  
"Eh, she's a good girl..." Sanosuke was out with his friends, drinking and having a good time. "...Sh-she's stayin' at home t'night."  
  
"Where'd y'ever find 'er? She's such a sweetheart."  
  
"She was..." He frowned. Where did he find her? He couldn't remember. Her voice ran through his mind. _Go ahead, have fun. But don't come back drunk. You'll be of no use to me if you're drunk._ She'd smiled. Then he'd told her to be careful and not let any one in. He'd left her with Yoshi, met his friends and...He looked at the bottle of sake in his hands, then at the other bottles scattered around the room..._Don't come back drunk_...Shit! "I gotta go, guys."  
  
"Already? C'mon, you can stay a little bit longer, can't ya?"  
  
"She needs me. I left 'er all alone."  
  
"She don't rule yer life, does she? She'll be fine for a while longer."  
  
"I really gotta go. I can't keep her safe when I'm drunk." He stood up, handed the bottle to one of his friends, "Sorry guys. Maybe next time." There was some nagging felling...He was suddenly worried about her.  
_  
Michiko...Michiko...I gotta get home. Something is wrong. Very wrong._ She had told him to go out...It didn't make sense. She was afraid to be alone. She didn't like it. That's why she followed him around everywhere. _Michiko..._Something was wrong!  
  
He ran down the street, heart pounding. She had been so tired -so damn tired- of living in fear. Suppose she decided to take things into her own hands? _No,_ he reasoned,_ she'd never be able to do that. So why the hell am I so damn afraid for her?_  
  
"What's your hurry, Sagara?"   
  
Sanosuke stopped dead in his tracks. "Gohei..." He turned to face the large, bearded man, "What do you want?" His eyes narrowed, "You know Kenshin and I are friends. So what the hell do you want?"  
  
"Only what's rightfully mine, Sagara."  
  
"What are you talking about?" He looked suspiciously at the man who'd asked him to kill Kenshin, the man who'd inadvertently changed his life forever.  
  
"You've got something of mine. Where are you hiding them?"  
  
"You..." Sano couldn't believe it. Gohei? Gohei Hiruma was the one who'd destroyed Michiko?   
  
"I don't care about the girl. You can have her. Keep her, the little bitch. Do what you want with her." A cruel, heartless laugh followed this statement, "She's not so sweet and innocent as she looks."  
  
"You bastard. You fucking bastard!"  
  
"Don't flatter me." Gohei growled, "I want my son. I want him now, do you hear me? I want him back from that girl. Or else she dies." It was nothing but dead seriousness then.  
  
***  
  
"Sano? Where Sano?"  
  
"Yoshi, please go to bed."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Yoshi, please. You're trying my patience. Just do as I ask."  
  
"A'ight." The boy sighed, "Night."  
  
Michiko sat there, her face buried in her hands. _I can't do this any more. I can't live like this. I just can't. It isn't fair to Yoshi. It's not his fault. And Sanosuke...I shouldn't be putting him through all this. He has come to love me and I cannot love him back. It's not right. I do not understand why he loves me. I do not understand anything any more. I can't_-  
  
"You lied to me!"  
  
She looked up, startled. Sanosuke had burst through the door and he stood there glaring down at her. Fear washed over her. He looked extremely angry, not to mention slightly drunk. She tried to speak, but her throat constricted and her voice seemed to disappear.   
  
"Tell me the damn truth!" He yanked her up off the floor, "Who the hell are you? Who is Yoshi and what the hell does Gohei Hiruma want with him?" His voice took on an angry, accusing tone she'd never heard before.  
  
"Gohei..." Her dark eyes widened with fright, "No...He doesn't know I'm here, does he?"  
  
"Why does Gohei want Yoshi?" He repeated, trying to make his voice calm as possible, "Why did he say Yoshi is his son?"  
  
Her head bowed. "He is Gohei's son."  
  
"Gohei's...your father?"  
  
"No." She said miserably.  
  
"Yoshi's not your brother. You lied about that. Did you kidnap him?"  
  
"No! I never said he was my brother. You just assumed things and I didn't correct you."  
  
"Why? What are you hiding from me?" He let go of her and she sank to the floor.  
  
"I didn't want Yoshi to be in any danger. I could not allow Gohei to hurt my Yoshi -who was just an innocent baby." She did not cry. Her voice seemed to drain itself of all emotions; she became an empty, hollow shell of a person.  
  
Something suddenly clicked in Sanosuke's mind..._My Yoshi...I think he raped her...My Yoshi...When he forced me to_..."No...You're not...Say he didn't..." He shook his head, "No." He turned away, "I won't believe it."  
  
"I wish it weren't true. I wish he was my brother. But he's not." She looked up at him, at the kanji for "bad" written on the back of his jacket, "He is my son."  
  
"How?" His voice came as a deadly whisper, "How did he do this? I don't understand."  
  
"My family was very poor. It was me, my parents, two younger brothers and a baby sister. Father owed Gohei some sort of debt that I never understood; a debt he would never have been able to pay back. Gohei always laughed that he'd forget about the debt if my father gave me to him. I was a pretty girl, he said, and someday I'd make a pretty wife. Father refused, saying only over his dead body. Gohei took him up on that."  
  
Sanosuke glanced at her. The look on her face was a far off one. She wasn't mentally in the room with him any more as she told the story. She had traveled back in time to when it actually happened. Her voice took on an eerie quality, that of a very tired person.  
  
"I was about Yahiko's age. Mother sent me into town on an errand. My brother's were running after me, telling me to play with them, but I was a big girl and I had a job to do. When I came back, my home was gone. It had burned down. My family was dead. Gohei told me there was a terrible accident and they all died in the fire. He said since my father never paid him back, he'd take me instead. I always thought there was something suspicious about it. Even at age ten, it crossed my mind that he had something to do with that fire."  
  
"That slimy..."  
  
"He took me home with him, made me his slave. I cooked for him, cleaned for him. He never let me out. I was trapped inside all day long. The villagers thought I died in the fire too. He told me if any one ever saw me, I'd be in trouble. That's how I became a shadow." She hugged herself, pulling her knees up to her chest. "But I was only a child. I made mistakes." Her voice was muffled, "And he beat me for it. Broken bones...black eyes...bruises. I was never safe from any abuse."  
  
"...Michiko..." Her name came out a sort of strangled whisper.  
  
Her eyes welled up with tears at the sound of pity in his voice. "I was fourteen...He decided I was old enough and he wanted me to do more for him." She started to cry, "I begged him not to. I was scared. I cried and screamed and he hit me and hit me. Then...After the first time, I just shut myself down. I didn't feel anything any more. Shadows don't feel. I turned my heart off to everything. He kicked me and I didn't feel it. Hit me and I didn't feel it. Nothing mattered any more. There was no more hope. My life was over." A pause, "Just like it is now."  
  
"Michiko, don't talk like that. It's never over. Come on, tell me what else happened, okay?"  
  
"I was so scared when I realized I was going to have Yoshi. I wasn't afraid for me any more; I was afraid of what he would do to my baby. He watched me grow. Didn't touch me at all that whole time. I'd cry when I was alone, wondering what he'd do. I was still just a kid. I didn't know what I was doing. I was a scared kid." She shuddered, her body curled up in the fetal position, "I didn't have any help. It was just me. It hurt so much I thought it would die. I wasn't even fifteen when he was born. I wasn't ready to be a mother. Sometimes I think I'm still not."  
  
Silence enveloped them. She was huddled in a lump on the floor, weeping silently. Sanosuke felt like his heart was being torn to pieces. Michiko was suffering so much. None of it was her fault and none of it was fair. He pulled her into his arms, hugging her while she cried.  
  
"Yoshi didn't ask to be born. He didn't deserve such a rotten life. But I couldn't get away when he was so small still." She sniffled, her body trembling in his arms, "So I waited and ran when he was big enough. You know the rest." She said dully.  
  
"Yes, I know. I understand now why you were so afraid the first time I mentioned the Battôsai. Why you said you couldn't love. Why you cried when I kissed you. I'm so sorry." He pitied her so much. He couldn't make himself understand how any on could hit her. He couldn't picture her so lifeless, trying to force herself to live. She was so caring, so innocent.   
  
"Why are you doing this? I'm not worth it. I'm dirty. I'm spoiled. I will only make you hurt. Why do you care about me? How can you possibly love me?" she fit into his lap so perfectly, curled up like a child, her head on his chest.  
  
"I don't know why. I just know that I do." He smoothed back her hair, "I'll keep you safe. Gohei won't ever hurt you again; I promise." He kissed her forehead, "Now here's what we're going to do. First we'll take Yoshi to Megumi. She'll be able to take care of him and Gohei won't find him there. Then we're going to go talk to Kenshin. You'll tell him what you told me. he and I will get rid of Gohei. Do you think you can do that?"  
  
"Yes, I think so..."  
  
"That's my girl. I'm sorry I scared you. I sort of snapped when he said Yoshi was his son."  
  
"It's okay. I know you would never hurt me, Sagara-San."  
  
"That's right; I wouldn't. Now come on, let's go. I'll carry Yoshi and explain it to Megumi so you don't have to."  
  
She nodded wordlessly as he gathered the sleeping boy up in his arms. Then they set off out the door.  
  
***  
  
At the same time, Kenshin was pacing back and forth in the training room at the Kamiya Dojo, a thoughtful look on his face. Kaoru found him in there, feeling slightly puzzled by his somewhat unusual behavior.  
  
"What's the matter, Kenshin?" She asked him.  
  
"I have been thinking about Michiko." Came his distracted reply.  
  
"She's fine. Sanosuke will make sure nothing happens to her."  
  
"I have been thinking...Something she said the day Sano brought her here has been bothering me all this time. She said she would not trust friends of the Battôsai. But if her parents died recently, there is no way I could have killed them and she would have only been a small child during the time of the revolution. No, I do not believe the Battôsai she feared was me."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Do you remember, Miss Kaoru, the circumstances through which we met?"  
  
"Of course I do. That skunk Gohei was pretending he was you to give my father a bad name." He eyes went wide as she realized what Kenshin meant, "You mean to tel me Gohei...?"  
  
"Gohei has already proven he is capable of harming both women and innocent people. It is very possible that he is the man she is so terrified of. There are things Sano has told me that make me wonder if I am correct. She -never having met him- knew him as Zanza. When she said I wasn't Battôsai the Manslayer and I mentioned Gohei, she flinched. It was barely noticeable, but she did react to his name. Gohei is a very dangerous man. You know this to be true. If it really is him, she could be in terrible trouble; that she could."  
  
"What are you going to do, Kenshin?"  
  
"I am going to go talk to Sanosuke and Michiko. Perhaps she will tell us now that I have a guess at who she is running from."  
  
"I'm coming with you."  
  
"You're worried about her, aren't you, Kaoru?"  
  
"Of course I am! Gohei is a terrible man! She doesn't stand a chance against him and nothing you can say will keep me from going with you."  
  
A slight smile crossed his face. "I won't try to stop you, Miss Kaoru. I know that would be pointless. But we should go now before any more time passes."  
  
"Right."  
  
***  
  
The night seemed far too dark and silent for Michiko's comfort. Gohei knew that she was with Sanosuke and that troubled her. She shrank closer to Sano, clutching his arm. He looked down at her. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I am frightened, Sagara-San." Her dark, haunted eyes darted back and forth at every little nighttime sound. She was skittish and jumpy, clingy, scared out of her wits.  
  
"I can see that. But it'll be okay. Even Yahiko can beat up Gohei. That man is never going to have another kid again after what Yahiko did to him."  
  
She smiled in spite of her apprehension. "He didn't!"  
  
"Oh, he did. Right in the groin with his elbow. 'Course I wasn't there to see it, but the kid couldn't stop laughing about it afterward."  
  
She sidled up to him as close as she could get and he put his free arm around her. Yoshi was hugging him in his sleep, his little arms wrapped around Sano's neck.  
  
"Hmm...Megumi's not here." No one had answered Sanosuke's knock on the door.  
  
"Now what?" Michiko looked around. She had taken Yoshi and he still slept, cradled in her arms.  
  
"Well, we're still going to see Kenshin. We'll just have to take Yoshi along."  
  
"Sagara-San?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Do you think that maybe...When this is all over...Maybe I can..." She stumbled over the words, her face flushed very pink, unable to say exactly what she wanted.  
  
"Well, what is it that you want?"  
  
"I want to stay here with you!" She blurted out.  
  
He looked surprised for a moment, then smiled softly. "Of course you can do that. I want you to stay anyway."  
  
"You mean it?"  
  
"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it, Michiko. I like you, really I do, and I'd be sad if you left."  
  
She smiled shyly. "You'd be sad...Sanosuke?"  
  
He stopped walking and looked down at her. She gazed up at him, her dark eyes full of all sorts of sweet sorrow. Her mournfulness, her sadness, thy were all a part of what made her beautiful. Now that she was there, even with all her pain and suffering, he couldn't imagine her being gone. "I would be lonely without you." He ran the back of his hand across her cheek, "I don't want you to go. I'll keep you safe forever."  
  
"Forever?" She echoed softly. Her heart was pounding, her body trembled. She held Yoshi close, afraid that the whole thing was a dream and she'd wake up back in Gohei's house.  
  
"You bet." He smiled.  
  
"Oh Sano..." She looked down at Yoshi, asleep in her arms. Her face felt very hot and she didn't know what to say. How had she gotten so lucky? How had everything worked out so perfectly?  
  
"That was touching."  
  
Her head jerked up and panic washed over her. That voice...The voice that made her blood run cold. The voice that had whispered in her ear every night, telling her how she would never be free; how she would always belong to him. "No." She whispered, "No; stay away from me. Don't touch me."  
  
"Oh, please. I don't want you. I don't care about you." Gohei laughed, "I want the boy."  
  
"Never." She shrank back behind Sanosuke, Yoshi clutched protectively to her chest, "You'll never get my baby."  
  
Yoshi's dark eyes blinked open. He looked up at his mother, her face contorted with fear. Then he peered around Sanosuke.  
  
Michiko felt her small son tense up, his fingers digging into her arm. He whimpered slightly, buried his face in her shoulder. "Don't worry, Baby." She spoke into his feathery hair, "Mama won't let anything hurt you."  
  
Gohei was still laughing. "Sagara, I didn't think you'd actually bring them to me. You're dumber than I thought."  
  
Sanosuke pushed Michiko back behind him. "Stay out of the way. I don't want you to get hurt."  
  
"Sanosuke...Don't!" She grabbed his arm. "He's too dangerous!"   
  
"Look, I promised I would protect you. I'm not scared of Gohei."  
  
"Sano...Please. Don't do this. We'll get the police. I don't want to lose you. I don't want him to kill you." Tears sprang to her eyes.  
  
"I'll be okay. Just stay right here." He charged at Gohei, ready to unleash all of his pent up fury.  
  
  


* * *

  
*Special thanks to Charon and Chaos for helping with this chapter! Love you, guys!*  



	7. Chapter 6

Unfortunately, due to Sanosuke's earlier alcohol consumption, his reflexes were slow. He did manage to hit Gohei, but not in a vital spot or hard enough to hurt him. Gohei simply knocked him down and started towards Michiko and Yoshi.  
  
Michiko looked desperately at Sano, crumpled on the ground. "...Sano..." Then she set Yoshi down on the ground, "Run, Baby. Get out of here. Go! Hurry up!"  
  
The toddler clung to her leg. "No! Mama, no!"  
  
She shoved him off. "Go! Go or he'll get you!" She shrieked, "Run! Get Kenshin!"  
  
He ran. He ran as fast as his little legs could go, not caring where he went. Tears spilled down his face as he ran blindly through the night. Then some one caught him, lifted him of the ground. "No! No! NO!" He struggled to get away, swinging his tiny fists wildly, "Mama! Mama! MAMA!!!"  
  
"Yoshi, what on earth is wrong?" Kaoru held him at arm's length to avoid his flailing limbs.  
  
He, recognizing her voice, looked up; stopped fighting to get free. He reached for her desperately. "Mama..." He sobbed, "Gonna hurt Mama..."  
  
She looked at the boy, feeling slightly confused. His mother was dead...Wasn't she?  
  
A frightened cry flittered through the night, drawing both her and Kenshin's attention away from the terrified boy.  
  
"Michiko!" Kenshin looked angry. Very angry. His amethyst eyes were lit with that all-too-familiar fire that burned when something was terribly wrong. "Take care of him, Miss Kaoru!" He called over his shoulder as he ran off.  
  
"Kenshin, wait!" She ran after him, carrying the small boy.  
  
***  
  
"...Ow." Sanosuke looked up from where he had landed on the ground. _How the hell could I let myself do this? _He groaned._ She's gonna get hurt and it's all my fault!_  
  
Gohei had Michiko by the wrist. "You'll regret sending the boy off like that!" He growled fiercely.  
  
"No! Please, don't do this. Just leave me alone!" She sobbed, "You have no reason to want my baby..."  
_  
Leave her alone!_ Sano's brain screamed in anger. But he was frozen there, he couldn't move. This was not happening! Michiko writhed in pain and all he could do was watch.  
  
"Make one move and I'll kill her, I swear I will." Gohei threatened. His triumphant look burned itself into Sanosuke's mind as he twisted Michiko's arm around behind her back.  
  
"You should let her go, Gohei; that you should."  
  
"Himura!"  
  
Michiko looked up from Gohei. Kenshin and Kaoru stood close at hand. Yoshi was in Kaoru's arms, screaming "Mama! Mama!"  
  
"Stay back, Battôsai! I will hurt her if you don't give me the boy." He twisted her arm back farther still, causing her to grimace in pain.  
  
Then all the fight seemed to drain out of her. She took a slow breath, carefully tucking away all her feelings. Her face went completely blank as he continued to tighten his grip. There was a popping sound followed by a sickening snap as he broke her arm. Still her empty expression did not change.  
  
"Who gave you a home?" He demanded.  
  
"You did." Not a trace of emotion in her voice.  
  
"Who took care of you when your parents died?"  
  
"You did."  
  
"Who gave you food and clothes?"  
  
"You did?"  
  
"Who's boy is that?"  
  
"Yours."  
  
"And who do you belong to?"  
  
"...You."  
  
Kenshin couldn't stand watching her suffer. His fingers twitched at the handle of his sword. Gohei had crossed the line. He wasn't the one being threatened, or even Miss Kaoru, but rage coursed through his veins. Michiko was a completely defenseless human being, one who did not -no, could not fight back. She'd lost her sparkle. His eyes narrowed. She had become a shadow again. It wasn't right.   
  
He took a step forward.  
  
"Wait, Kenshin." Kaoru grabbed his arm as he was about to draw the reverse blade sword, "Look."  
  
Kenshin's gaze followed hers to where Sanosuke rose from the ground. A deadly serious -_murderous_ almost- expression crossed the fighter's face. He looked at Kenshin, who nodded slightly, then he tackled Gohei from behind.  
  
The large man stumbled forward, releasing his grip on Michiko. Kenshin darted forward, catching her in his arms. Gohei crashed to the ground, Sanosuke shoving his face into the dirt. "You bastard! You bastard; you destroyed her! I could kill you!"  
  
Gohei reached around, pushing Sano off him. "It's a good thing you went and got yourself drunk. It's making you slow and clumsy. I hope she understands now what a fool she's been. You didn't protect her very well."  
  
"Shut up!" Sano's fist connected with Gohei's jaw, "I don't want another word out of you! You hear me?! Not one more damn word! You're unforgivable!"  
  
"...Sagara-San..."  
  
"Miss Michiko!" Kenshin crouched down, still holding her in his arms. She seemed to be fading in and out of reality. Her arms were glazed over, her face pale. Her right arm dangled lifelessly, apparently ripped from its socket. Blood was seeping through the sleeve of her kimono where bone had broken through her skin when he shattered her arm. "Hold on, Miss Michiko."  
  
"Mama!" Yoshi squirmed furiously in Kaoru's arms, tears coursing down his face. The poor boy was in hysterics, screaming and crying. Kaoru finally let him go and he ran to Kenshin's side. "Mama..."  
  
"Your mama will be just fine; that she will." Kenshin assured the boy, "Don't you worry, Yoshi."  
  
"Kenshin..." Kaoru knelt beside him, "Are you saying Michiko...She's his mother?"  
  
"Yes, Miss Kaoru. It is something I have suspected for a while now. Sanosuke has wondered about it too...He was so troubled when she called him her Yoshi, but he did not understand just why. Miss Michiko must be very ashamed of this, but none of it is her fault."  
  
"Poor Michiko...Will she really be okay?"  
  
"I do not think her arm will ever fully recover. But that is not what worries me most. Her emotions seem to have hidden themselves away once again. I don't know if even Sanosuke will be able to bring back her heart. Look. Look at her face. She's shut herself off to the world, Miss Kaoru."  
  
Kaoru glanced down at Michiko's pale face. Her eyes were glazed over and lifeless, staring blankly up at somewhere in the sky. The emptiness in her expression sent chills up Kaoru's spine.  
  
"You don't deserve to live!" Sanosuke had Gohei pinned to the ground. His anger had reached its peak and boiled over. "How could you do that to her? How could you take advantage of a little girl like that?" He pounded his fists into Gohei's chest, tears running down his face, "You don't deserve to live..."  
  
"Sanosuke! Do not kill him!" Kenshin called to his distraught friend, "You should let the authorities deal with him; that you should."  
  
"I don't care any more!" I don't care; he should be rotting in hell for what he did to her. It's not fair! It's just not fair..."  
  
"Stop, Sanosuke, or you will sink to his level. Killing Gohei won't make her hurt go away. You don't want to do this. Get off of him. You care about Michiko. Come over here and prove it."  
  
"Michiko..." Sano gave one last murderous look at Gohei, then hurried over to Kenshin. He took Michiko from the red-head's arms, desperately searching her face for some sort of emotion. "Don't do this to me...C'mon, you can't go back to the shadows..."  
  
She looked up at him, her dark eyes not displaying the slightest trace of anything human. Then she looked away.  
  
"I'm so sorry." He pushed her hair back from her face, tears falling freely from his eyes, "I let you down. It's my fault he hurt you. I wish I didn't..." He choked on the words, clutching her to him, "Don't go back into the darkness. I'm begging you. I want you to stay. I'm sorry..."  
  
"Mama..." Yoshi was back in Kaoru's arms, crying uncontrollably, "He hurt Mama!" He screamed, "I hate 'im!"  
  
Kaoru hugged him wordlessly, not having any idea what to say. It tore at her heart to hear him say that he hated some one. Two years was such a young age to harbor feelings of animosity. None of this was right.   
  
Sanosuke stood up, Michiko cradled in his arms. "She needs help, Kenshin. She needs Megumi and I don't know where the hell that damn fox is!" His voice rose, edged with panic.  
  
"Take her back to the dojo, Sanosuke. Miss Megumi is there, that is why you could not find her. Kaoru, you go with him. Try and keep Yoshi calm. I will take care of Gohei, then return home." He smiled sadly at his friends, "It will be all right; that it will."  



	8. Chapter 7

But it wasn't all right.  
  
Megumi patched up Michiko's arm as best she could. It was pretty well torn up; broken bones jutted out through her skin, her shoulder was dislocated, muscles and tendons all ripped apart. She didn't cry at all as Megumi tended to her, just sat there staring blankly ahead. At one point, she simply popped her arm back into place as if it were nothing.  
  
Then she sighed a deep mournful sigh, sinking dow as if exhausted. It didn't matter any more. Nothing mattered. There was no pain. She had receded back into the darkness.  
  
"How is her arm, Miss Megumi?"  
  
Megumi looked up. Kenshin was in the doorway. She stood, pushing him out of the room. Once outside, she looked at him seriously. "I think it'll get better, but she probably won't be able to use it very well -if at all- ever again."  
  
"Can you tell if he had broken it before? She has always been slow on that side of her body."  
  
"I'm not sure, Sir Ken. Her arm was mangled. I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't the first time though. She relocated her shoulder all by herself and she didn't shed a single tear."  
  
"I'm afraid she's locked herself away again; that she has. I'm afraid that even Sanosuke may not be able to help her now."  
  
"Where is Sanosuke? Shouldn't he be in there with her?"  
  
"Sano's terribly upset about everything, Miss Megumi. Tonight of all nights was the first time he went out drinking with his friends since Michiko has been here."  
  
"He was drunk when he fought Gohei?"  
  
"That he was. He loves her very much and he feels that it is all his fault that this happened."  
  
Megumi looked at Kenshin for a moment, then over her shoulder and back into the room where Michiko lay sleeping. "He better get over that, or she might slip farther away. She needs him more than he knows."  
  
"This is very true. But I am afraid that there is not much you and I can do about it."  
  
She looked down porch to where Sano was sitting, Yoshi bunched up on his lap. The little boy was crying, making small snuffling noises. Sano was hugging the boy, tears running down his face. "I'm sorry, Kid. I let you and your mom down."  
  
"Sano, you did everything you could." Kaoru sat down beside the two of them.  
  
"You don't understand, Missy. I promised I'd keep her safe. I promised that he'd never hurt her. And I let her down. I broke the most important promise I ever made. She could've died because of me."  
  
"But she didn't. You saved her life. I don't think she'll be upset."  
  
"You don't get it, do you? She's gone."  
  
"Gone? What do you mean 'gone'?"  
  
"She's a shadow again. You saw her back there. The look on her face...I don't think she even saw us. She was looking right through me. It gave me the creeps, Kaoru. I've lost her. She's gone."  
  
"You must never give up hope, Sanosuke." Came the pleasant voice of Kenshin.  
  
"She's not coming back, Kenshin. Even when she had those moments, even when she talked about him, she was never this far gone. Never that blank." Sano looked up, his eyes meeting Kenshin's, "He destroyed her."  
  
"You should get some sleep, Sano; that you should. Things will look better tomorrow. Let me take Yoshi and put him to bed."  
  
"I can't sleep now. Not with her there like that. She was just a little kid, Kenshin. It wasn't right. None of it was right."  
  
"It's hard to see the people we love suffer." Kenshin glanced at Kaoru, who blushed, "It makes us hurt too. But keep your head up. As long as you live, you can hope."  
  
Sano looked at Kenshin a moment longer, then his gaze traveled down to Yoshi. The toddler looked back at him, his wide eyes pooled with tears. Sano smiled slightly, his forehead resting against the child's. "Your mama said to me that I gave hope to hopeless. What do you think of that, Kiddo?"  
  
"Ya. Mama right." He hugged Sano. A sad smile; a yawn. "He gone 'cause a you."  
  
Sano stood up. "C'mon, Kiddo. Let's go to bed."  
  
"Mama first."  
  
"You want to make sure she's okay?"  
  
A nod.  
  
Sanosuke took Yoshi into the little room where Michiko slept. The boy's small hand ran across his mother's face, gently tracing all her features. He rested his head on her chest as if listening to her heart. "Love you, Mama." He said softly.   
  
Sano watched, transfixed. How easily the boy could do what he could not; what he wished he could do. _If only-_  
  
"I wanna stay with Mama."  
  
He looked down. Yoshi stood gazing intently up at him, a deadly serious look on his face. He had never before realized how much he towered over the small boy. As he looked at the child, Michiko's voice ran through his head. If something happens to me; promise you'll keep Yoshi safe. It was as if she knew! He had promised. Now was time to make good on that promise.  
  
"All right. You can stay. But I am too."  
  
" 'Kay."  
  
Yoshi curled up on his mother's left side, crawling under the blankets with her. He snuggled up to her, his head under her chin, a small smile on his face.  
  
Sano sighed. "I hope you'll be okay, Michiko." He said quietly, "I know how hard on you this is and I know I broke my promise, and I'm really sorry." He longed to be cuddled up with them; to be the one telling her "love ya;" to kiss her and not have her shrink away. "I hope you can forgive me."  
  
Megumi poked her head into the room before she left and what she saw made her smile. Michiko, sleeping peacefully, Yoshi cuddled up at her side. Sanosuke lay a few feet away, on his stomach, his chin rested on his hands. He seemed to be sleeping fitfully and looked most uncomfortable. Megumi shook her head slightly, wondering if Michiko knew just how lucky she truly was.  
  
***  
"What's wrong with Michi, Uncle Kenny?"  
  
"Yeah, what's wrong?"  
  
Kenshin looked down at the expectant faces of Aiyami and Suzume, wondering just what to tell them. Michiko had been sitting in the same spot on the porch for days, moving only to go to sleep. Her dark eyes were blank and staring, looking at something only she could see. She never spoke, never ate, never responded to anything but Yoshi. Even the interaction with her small son was limited, however. She just sat and no one knew what would be able to reach her heart in the end.  
  
"Is she sick? Should we get Grandpa?"  
  
"Is she sick?"  
  
The little girls seemed to have forgotten the way Michiko had been when they first met her. They knew her only as the girl who had plenty of time to play with them and have fun.  
  
"She's not sick." Kenshin finally answered, "Her arm hurts her very much and she does not feel like playing."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Okay."  
  
It wasn't a lie really, but it wasn't the truth either. He doubted that she even realized anything had happened to her arm. But she certainly was hurting somehow and he wondered what thoughts were running through her mind. How far gone was she?  
  
Sanosuke sat beside her sometimes; not close, he was afraid of what she would do. He'd talk to her, tell her how he'd take her here or there when she was up to it, all the things they had to look forward to. He was never certain if she heard him, but he talked anyway, never telling her the things he really wanted to, but always wishing he could.  
  
What went through Michiko's mind all that time? No much. It was like a black hole -things went in, but nothing ever came out. And she heard not only what people told her, but what they didn't say as well. A thousand small "I love yous" marched through her, trying to pound their way into her heart. Sanosuke's feelings were not lost upon her, rather they were stored until she could respond properly to them; until she was free from herself.  
  
Yoshi seemed to understand what was wrong with his mother, but he didn't have the vocabulary or the ability to articulate exactly what it was to the others. He was attentive to her, making sure to tell her if he was going somewhere or if he had done something new.   
  
Having nothing more to do, Yoshi became Yahiko's constant shadow, following the older boy around, asking him questions and generally behaving in the way two year olds do. Yahiko seemed to enjoy this. He reveled in the idea of being Yoshi's "sensei." So he enlisted the small boy to help him with his chores. He taught him new words and let him play with his wooden sword. They were both happy with this, and it seemed that Yoshi had forgotten all about what happened the night his mother stopped speaking.  
  
"Mama, I go with Yahiko, 'kay?" Became Yoshi's standard phrase. He'd pat her hand, then -not expecting an answer- run off, his thin hair flying around his face.  
  
"You are very lucky, Miss Michiko; that you are." Kenshin sat down beside her one day, that knowing smile on his face, "Sanosuke refuses to give up on you. I know he hasn't said it, but he loves you very much. He sits here and talks to you because he loves you. I know that you can hear me. I know that there is a person trapped somewhere inside. You want to slip into the shadows once again, but you cannot. You've got to rage against that dying light. There is still hope."  
  
Her own voice came to her, rattling around in her mind, a fleeting memory of things which seemed too long in the past to be real. _You gave hope to hopeless..._Had she really said that? It seemed like it had been ages ago. _Why had I said that again? That's right, I said it to Sanosuke after he had...after he..._Without meaning to, she blushed at the thought of his kiss.  
  
Kenshin smiled to himself as he rose. He placed one hand under her chin, raising her face, her vacant eyes meeting his amethyst ones. "Head up. Stop looking in all the wrong places," He said gently, "Or you'll never find what you're looking for."   
  
She looked at him -really looked at him- for a moment. Then she turned away, dropping her gaze back to the ground.  
  
Kenshin shuffled off, leaving her there alone. He knew she's find her was soon and then there would be no more turning away.  
  
"Michiko?" Sanosuke found her there, head down, hair falling across her face. He crouched down before her. She was bunched up, as if trying to hide from the world. "Hey..." He rested a hand on her shoulder, but she flinched and he pulled it back, "Are you okay?"  
  
She looked up at him, slowly raising her head. Her eyes were wide and tears poured down her face. She clutched her bandaged arm, staring at him, those dark eyes full of agony. "Make it go away." Her eyes seemed to beg, "Make it all just go away."  
  
"...Michiko..." She looked so damn distraught. It broke his heart to see her crying. A sad look crossed his face. "Look, I don't know exactly what's hurting you right now. I wish I could've done more to prevent all of this. I feel like I let you down. I'm sorry that I let him hurt you. I'm sorry I broke my promise. But you know, there's one thing I'm not sorry for."  
  
"?" She looked at him, the anguish in her eyes fading as tears continued to drip from her chin.  
  
"I...I..." Sweat trickled down his face as he turned beat red. _Come on and say it already, Sano!_ "I love you."  
  
Her eyes went wide, her lower lip trembled, forming the word "no." _How can he? How? I'm not worth it. He got hurt because of me. Doesn't he understand that? Why doesn't he understand?_ Her mind was in turmoil. She sighed in frustration, averting her eyes from his troubled face.   
  
"Come on, don't do this." He pleaded, "Don't you look away. Say something. You can even say you hate me like you used to. I can't stand you sitting here, not talking." He touched her hair, but she jerked away. He felt hurt for a moment. He'd thought saying he loved her might have helped. "Fine then." His voice wavered only slightly, "Turn away. Forget me. Forget it all. Let it go. It won't stop my love for you."  
  
Her shoulders slumped, whether from defeat or exhaustion he knew not. He looked at his feet, tears gathering in his eyes. She glanced over at him as he continued speaking. "I'm not going to stop, you know. I'll keep coming back. Forever, just like I said." His voice held a hint of misery.  
  
"I hate you." Her voice was such a soft whisper he wasn't really sure at first if she even spoke, but there; she repeated herself. "I hate you. It isn't right. It isn't. Everything is wrong. You're not supposed to love me any more." Her head fell into her hand, muffling her voice, "Why can't you stop? That's how it should be..." More tears, "...I hate you..."  
  
Silence. Both sat there. A dull ache was rising up in Michiko's heart; something she hadn't felt in a long time. She clutched at her dead arm, trying to fight the emotions she didn't want to feel, to return to the surreal state she had once existed in. Sanosuke couldn't move. He couldn't speak. He remained there, blinded by tears, wishing he had some way to make it all just disappear. She didn't love him. She didn't want anything to do with him. Kenshin was wrong.  
_  
Kenshin was wrong!_ Sano was very angry then. She hated him! The world was crashing down around him. Everything ceased to be when she turned away. _Why does it have to be like this? How did it happen this way? When did I lose control?_ He buried his face in his hands. _Why is it like this?_ Tears slid through his fingers. "I'm sorry; dammit, I'm sorry..." He mumbled over and over again.  
  
Daylight turned to dusk. Neither of them had moved. Kaoru went out of her way to pass by every now and then, wondering how long they'd sit ignoring each other when they were so obviously in love. Yoshi came and went a few times, a worried look on his face.  
  
Kenshin offered them both dinner, trying to ignore Sano's angry face and Michiko's vacant one. They both ignored him, continuing to sit in stony silence. A frown crossed the Battôsai's face. Something needed to be done. Something needed to change.  
  
The same thought crossed Sanosuke's mind. He couldn't stand it any more. He didn't care if she hated him. He loved her; that's all there was to it. He moved a little closer to her, drawing her tiny body into his arms. He figured she would pull away, but resolved to not let her go. One hand ran across her hair, the other held her close to him.  
  
She didn't fight it; she always felt safe in his lap, his strong arms around her. It felt good to be touched by him again; to be held tight. He loved her. He loved her so much; so unconditionally. Tears filled her eyes. He was careful of her arm -not that it mattered; the nerves were destroyed; she couldn't feel anything. Her head rested over his heart. "You're not going to go away, are you?"  
  
"No. No...I promise. Never." He held her to him, stroking her hair. "As long as you want me, I'll stay."  
  
A slight, shy smile; that familiar blush crept across her face. "Stay. I don't hate you. I didn't mean it. I'm sorry."  
  
"I know. I don't care. And I'm sorry too."  
  
"You already said that." Her smile widened, "And I heard it the very first time. I wish I could have told you sooner, but sometimes," Her voice lowered, "When you're in the darkness too long, you forget how to shine."  
  
"Keep smiling." He touched her tear-stained face, "That's a good way to do it."  
  
Her eyes closed for a moment as she listened to his heart beating, then she looked back up at him. "Tell me how much you love me." She whispered.  
  
He smiled softly, kissed her forehead. "With all my heart."  
  
His arms around her; how safe and warm and oh-so-happy she felt. If she could stay that way forever...But something still nagged her. There was something that still wasn't right. She still had some lingering fear. She was still afraid of something...But what?  



	9. Chapter 8

"Mama! Mama; c'mon, let's go see Yahiko."  
  
Michiko looked down at the smiling face of her small son. Yoshi was jumping up and down with excitement, his hair bouncing over his forehead. He tugged on her hand, trying to drag her out the door. She looked over her shoulder at Sanosuke, uncertain as to whether or not he was to come along.  
  
"Go ahead." He grinned, "Have fun with the kid. You deserve it."  
  
"You sure you don't want to come?"  
  
"Nah...I've got some things to do."  
  
She frowned. It was her birthday -she was seventeen- and he didn't want to be with her. He knew; he'd told her happy birthday in the morning. But he had other things to do. She felt slightly hurt.  
  
"Hey, don't look so down. I'll catch up with you later, okay?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
"You'd better get going before he rips that arm off too."  
  
She smiled slightly, looking down at her right arm. Still loosely bandaged, it hung limply at her side. Megumi was right. She'd never use that arm again.  
  
Yahiko was down by the river, practicing the skills and techniques Kaoru had taught him. Yoshi ran down the slight incline, throwing himself at the older boy. "Yahiko!"  
  
Yahiko dropped his wooden sword and caught the toddler up in his arms. "Hi Yoshi! What's going on?"  
  
"I's Mama's birthday!"  
  
"Oh, is it?" He looked over his shoulder at Michiko, who nodded. "Happy birthday, Michiko."  
  
"Thank you." She sank down to the ground, running her fingers over the cool grass. She closed her eyes, thinking about Sanosuke. His arms around her, the feel of his hug, that night his lips had met hers...What was that? Yahiko was still talking to her. She blushed, her eyes blinking open. "I'm sorry; what?"  
  
"I said _how's your arm'?" He swung his sword aimlessly a few times.  
  
Another blush. "It's okay, I guess. I can't really feel it or anything." She flopped down on the grass. Yoshi climbed up onto her stomach, settling himself comfortably there. He grinned at his mother, placing his small hands gently on her face. "Love ya, Ma."  
  
She smiled back at him. "I know. And I love you too, My Yoshi."  
  
"Happy birthday."  
  
"Thank you, Baby."  
  
He kissed her forehead, then sat up, straddling her belly. He watched Yahiko practicing, picking absently at the grass. In his two-year-old mind, nothing could be better than being with his mother and his sensei.  
  
Yahiko stopped and looked at the two of them for a moment, trying to imagine Michiko two years ago on her fifteenth birthday; when Yoshi was only a baby. It was so strange for him to think about her being his mother. He wondered if she resented Yoshi, if she wished he was never born. He sat down in the grass, wiping sweat off his forehead with his sleeve. "Michi?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Y'ever wish it didn't happen; all the bad stuff?"  
  
"Of course. Then I would still have my family. My mama and papa, Naoko, Akemi and Hachi would still be alive. My arm would still work. But then, in another light, I wouldn't have my Yoshi. I wouldn't know you -any of you- and Sanosuke and I would not be together."  
  
"You like him a lot, huh?"  
  
"Oh, yes. He saved my life. And he doesn't care about my past." She smiled softly, "He likes me."  
  
" _Course he likes you. You're really pretty."  
  
"You think he likes me because I'm pretty, Yahiko?"  
  
"Well, that does help. But I guess it's not the only thing. I mean, Kenshin likes Kaoru."  
  
"Miss Kaoru is a beautiful person."  
  
"Are you kidding? She's an ugly raccoon."  
  
"True beauty," She gazed up at the sky, seeming to search for something in the clouds, "Comes from within. There is something inside which makes a person beautiful. What's on the outside doesn't matter. Miss Kaoru has a beautiful soul. Therefore, she is a beautiful person."  
  
Yahiko glanced up at the sky, trying to follow her gaze. He wondered what she saw up there that captured her attention so. Her mind worked in such a strange way. It was hard for him to tell what she was thinking.  
  
"Gohei liked me because I was pretty."  
  
Silence for a moment. Yahiko wasn't sure what to say. She'd never talked about Gohei with him before. He knew what had happened, but she'd never mentioned a word about it to him.  
  
"But he thought I was beautiful because I hated him." She continued, "He made me hate him. And his wicked heart made him see me as beautiful when I was consumed by shadow. Hate is an ugly thing, unless you are a hateful person. Then it is wonderful." She smiled sadly, "Hatred only brings more hatred, Yahiko. He made me hate him. My hatred manifested itself in my son. Sanosuke was drawn into the web of hate because he loved me. You must never allow yourself to hate."  
  
"Who hates who now?" Came a voice from above.  
  
"Sanosuke..." She smiled as his shadow fell over her, "I don't hate any one. Even though Gohei ruined my life, I do not hate him any longer. I wouldn't have you or My Yoshi or any of my friends if it weren't for him."   
  
He settled himself beside her and she sat up, pulling Yoshi onto her lap. Yahiko watched as they interacted. Sanosuke picked some grass out of her hair and she blushed, ducking her head. The boy laughed to himself. Michiko was even shier about being in love than Kaoru was.  
  
Sanosuke braced himself for Yoshi clamoring into his lap, but for once the toddler was perfectly content on his mother's lap. He sat there poking her arm -which she of course didn't notice- and humming to himself.  
  
Yahiko stood up, stretched, picked up his wooden sword. "I gotta get going. C'mon Yoshi."  
  
" 'Kay!" The little boy jumped up, his face lit with excitement. Then he turned to Michiko. "Mama, I go?"  
  
She nodded, smiling softly. "You may go, My Yoshi."  
  
"Arigato!" He kissed her, then scampered off after Yahiko.  
  
Sanosuke looked at her, a grin on his face. "Alone at last."  
  
"Sano..." She blushed furiously.  
  
"Oh, come on. We haven't been alone together in a long time. And it's your birthday..."  
  
"I can't."  
  
He flopped down on the grass. "You can't or you won't?"  
  
"I can't. What Gohei did...I just can't. I'm sorry. You must hate me." She peered at him from under her bangs, her eyelashes wet with tears.  
  
"Hey, don't worry about it. You think that's all I want from you? I'm not like him. I just thought it might be nice." He pulled her down beside him and she rested her head on his chest. He brushed back her hair, caressing her cheek, "I won't do anything to make you uncomfortable."  
  
She rolled over on her stomach, studying his face. "Sano, why do you love me?"  
  
"You're kind. You're giving. You're the most beautiful girl I know. I fell in love with you because I saw how selfless you were. And I fall in love with you all over every time I look at you." He smiled, "You're wonderful."  
  
She looked at him a moment longer, her onyx eyes pooled with tears. Then she laid her head back down. "No one's ever told me anything like that before. Did you know? It was your light that shown, leading my heart to find the place where I belong."  
  
"All I did was love you."  
  
"All you did. All you did! You did something no one's done in six years."  
  
"Yoshi?"  
  
"Yoshi," She kissed him, "Doesn't count."  
  
He wrapped his arms around her. They were laying in the grass, she was settled upon him much the way Yoshi had been on her; lying stomach to stomach. She rested her forehead on his, drew his hand out, her fingers laced in his. Their eyes met, onyx and brandy, and he grinned. "I love you, Michi." He said, "I love you so much."  
  
"And I," She smiled shyly, "Love you."  
  
Their lips brushed together in a kiss that may as well have been the first. It was a time-stopping, heart-pounding kiss; a moment that would last forever. She wanted to stay right there and never move, safe in his arms. The softness of his eyes; the warmth of his smile; everything seemed to welcome her in. "I had never lived," She whispered, "Until there was you. You're the home my heart searched for so long." A pause, "I'd be lost without you."  
  
"I won't go unless you want me to. I promise. You can stay with me forever. Or until tomorrow. Or as long as you want."  
  
"Forever sounds nice." She snuggled up to him, her head once again on his bare chest.   
  
They lay there for a long time as morning slid into afternoon and the sun rose high into the sky. It was a warm day and Michiko soon fell asleep on Sanosuke. He fingered a lock of her hair. It was so shiny and soft. He began to daydream about her in the future, her hair grown long and hanging loose. She'd still be with him -he couldn't imagine her anywhere else- and they would be happy. He didn't care if she ever got over what Gohei did to her or not or if they ever had any kids of their own. Just being with her was enough. She made him feel like-  
  
"Sano!" A voice hissed, disrupting his thoughts.  
  
He glanced up lazily. "Hey there, Missy."  
  
Kaoru looked scandalized. "What is this? Where's Yahiko? And Yoshi? You didn't...did you? Not here out in the open..."  
  
"No!" He sat up, gently rearranging Michiko on his lap, "We didn't. We never have. She can't bring herself to anyway. Gohei's ghost still haunts her."  
  
"So what is this then? You're looking pretty comfy with one another."  
  
"So? You're just jealous."  
  
"And what is that supposed to mean, Sanosuke?"  
  
"Oh, come off it. You know you wish it were you and Kenshin here together." He smiled slyly, "You're insanely jealous."  
  
"I am not!" Her face flushed bright red.  
  
"Shush. You'll wake her."  
  
Kaoru settled beside him on the grass. "What is it, Sano, about her? How did you fall in love with the scared, sad shadow of a girl who only called you by your last name?"  
  
He didn't answer right away. Instead he gazed down at Michiko where she lay sleeping in his arms. A smile crossed his face. "I don't know, Kaoru." He paused, "I guess it's because I understand her. We both lost the people important to us when we were kids. And neither of us should have. I guess it's easy to identify with her."  
  
"When I look at her," He continued, "I think of all the things I wish I wasn't. She's so tough. It wasn't easy for her to trust me. I admire that in her, her hesitance to just let any one regardless of who they are into her life. And the courage it must've taken her to run, it must've been enormous. Gohei is at least five times bigger than she is. She's scared to death of him. But she ran away to save Yoshi. Not for herself. She's selfless like that. In spite of all the dark things in her life, Michiko has never done a mean thing to another person."  
  
"You think very highly of her."  
  
"I love her. She needs me."  
  
"She may not always need you. Then what?"  
  
"I would let her go. I love her that much. I know this might not always last. I'd be sorry if she left, but I wouldn't force her to stay. I'd be no better than Gohei if I tried to do that."  
  
"She's lucky to have you." Kaoru smiled cheerfully, "You going to bring her by the dojo later?"  
  
"She'll probably want to see Kenshin for her birthday. But I was thinking of going to the Akabeko with her. I actually have some money for once."  
  
"You ever wonder what her other birthdays were like? Especially her fifteenth...That was right after Yoshi had been born."  
  
"She's brave. She put up with it all without a complaint. She doesn't resent Yoshi at all. She doesn't hate him because he is part of Gohei. He's her reason for living. But I do know what you mean."  
  
"It's strange to think of her as his mother. She's so young. I can't imagine how terrified she must've been. I can't even imagine doing that with some one I don't love. I feel so bad for her."  
  
"Don't pity her, Missy." Sanosuke looked down at Michiko.  
  
She was frowning in her sleep, her forehead creased. Her left hand clenched, clutching his sleeve. "No..." She mumbled, "No...No; don't...No!" She jerked awake, looking wildly around. Then she realized where she was. "Sano...I had a nightmare..." Her eyes welled with tears, "He was trying to...He was trying..."  
  
"Hey," He hugged her close, "It's okay. You're safe here. I won't let anything happen to you."  
  
"I was so scared...I couldn't...I couldn't do anything..." Her face was pressed against his chest; he could feel her tears against his bare skin.  
  
"Shh...Don't cry. Nothing will ever hurt you again. As long as you're here, you'll be safe."  
  
She sniffled, wiping her eyes.  
  
He brushed back her hair. "Cheer up. You're the birthday girl, after all."  
  
A slight smile crossed her face. Then she looked up. "Oh! Hello, Miss Kaoru."  
  
"Happy birthday, Michiko." Kaoru grinned.   
  
"Thank you." A shy smile crossed the young woman's face. She wasn't used to all the attention she'd been getting.  
  
"Where's Yoshi?"  
  
"He left with Yahiko. We stayed..." She said slowly, "I fell asleep." Her dark gaze rested on Sanosuke, "How long have we been here?"  
  
"A few hours. But that's okay. It was kind of nice to just relax. Plus, you're cute when you're sleeping."  
  
"Sano!" She blushed. It wasn't that she cared that he'd seen her sleeping. Far from it. She simply felt that it was a private thing, not to be shared with others, the way they had been so comfortable there.  
  
"Don't be so shy about it. Kaoru's seen you asleep before. It's no big deal." He kissed her cheek, buried his face in her hair, "Besides, you're cute no matter what you do."  
  
Her face -if possible- turned even redder.  
  
"Stop embarrassing her, Sanosuke!" Kaoru griped, "Look at her! She's bright red!!"  
  
He hugged her. "Sorry. Didn't mean to embarrass you."  
  
"It's okay." She snuggled into his hug, "I don't really mind." She paused, "I'm hungry."  
  
"Let's go get something to eat then."  
  
"Why don't you stop by the dojo and get Yoshi first?" Kaoru suggested, "I'm sure he'd want to go with you."  
  
Michiko nodded, climbing out of Sanosuke's lap. "Come on, Sano."  
  
He sat there a moment longer, just looking up at her. Then he rose to his feet, put his arm around her shoulders. "Let's go get the kid."  
  
***  
"Michi! Michi! Happy birthday!" Aiyami and Suzume came running out to greet them at the dojo.  
  
"Mama!" Yoshi followed close behind them, wriggling like an excited puppy. He wrapped his arms around her legs.  
  
She ran her fingers through his silky hair. "Hello, MY Yoshi." Then she smiled down at the two little girls, "Thank you, Girls. I am having a very nice birthday." She paused, "It smells good here."  
  
"Uncle Kenny's been cooking. He made ya a special birthday lunch!" Aiyami exclaimed.  
  
"Ya, Uncle Kenny's been cooking!" Suzume added.  
  
"He cooked for me?" Michiko asked in disbelief.  
  
Eager nods. "Yup!"  
  
Kenshin was indeed cooking. He'd cooked up a storm, preparing a real feast. "I heard it was your birthday, Miss Michiko," He explained, "And a birthday can't go uncelebrated, that it cannot."  
  
"It's going to be a real party." Yahiko piped up.  
  
Michiko smiled shyly. "I've never had a birthday party before." Her face lit with joy.  
  
Kenshin grinned. "You deserve it."  
  
She blushed, ducking her head. She felt that they didn't have to do anything for her; that she was nothing more than a burden to them all, the helpless girl with one arm who couldn't take care of herself. She didn't deserve any of what they'd done for her; she'd done nothing but cause them grief. And Sanosuke was always taking care of her as if she couldn't survive alone. Sometimes she felt as if she couldn't.  
  
"And guess what else!" Yahiko -as grown up and mature as he seemed- was still just an excitable kid.  
  
She smiled at his excitement. "What?"  
  
"We got you a present!"  
  
"For me? A present?" Disbelief filled her voice. No one had ever given her a present before. Her parents had been too poor and Gohei...Well, his idea of a gift was something she'd rather not recall.  
  
"Yahiko!" Kaoru groaned, "You weren't supposed to tell her yet!"  
  
"I couldn't keep it a secret any more! I had to tell. I knew it'd make her happy and I love when Michiko's happy." The boy explained, "No one should ever be sad or scared. Only happy."  
  
"Oh, Yahiko..." A soft smile crossed Michiko's face, "I am happy. You have all made me very happy."  
  
Sanosuke was watching her as she spoke. There was a "but" in her voice, a bittersweet tone. Something was bothering her and he couldn't quite figure out what. That annoyed him to no end, knowing that she still didn't trust him enough to tell him what was on her mind. He thought they were beyond keeping secrets.  
  
"Sano?"  
  
Yoshi's voice startled him back to reality and he pushed the dark thoughts out of his mind. "What's up, Kiddo?"  
  
"I gotta pee." The small boy's voice was full of urgent seriousness.  
  
Sano regarded him for a moment, then broke into a grin. "Come on." He offered Yoshi a hand.  
  
Kenshin was also watching Michiko. He understood what Sanosuke did not and it left him very dismayed. He watched closely as she ate, as she exclaimed happily over the beautiful kimono they had given her, as she played with the children. He was certain that what he saw in her would only lead to much more heartache. She was going to leave. Not because she didn't like it there; far from it. He knew she loved the girls and Yahiko and she thought the world of Sanosuke, but she needed to go. He understood that she needed to know that she could take care of herself before she'd allow Sano to continue to take care of her. This saddened him. He would miss her.  
  
"What's wrong, Kenshin? You look troubled."  
  
The Battôsai was sitting on the porch, Kaoru at his side. Michiko and Sanosuke were playing tag with the four children -running through the yard- and all was well.  
  
He looked up at her from under his flaming hair, a sad, small, smile on his face. "Miss Michiko will be leaving us, Kaoru."   
  
"What? Why?" She looked alarmed, "She loves Sanosuke and he's taking good care of her."  
  
"She needs to know that she can take good care of herself; that she does. She needs to know she can make it on her own."  
  
Kaoru looked over at the six of them in the yard. Michiko was running in mock terror, Sanosuke lumbering after her. The children trailed behind, laughing. He caught her up in his arms, sweeping her off her feet. "Gotcha!" He exclaimed. She laughed, her good arm around his neck, the other dangling limply at her side. Bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun, they were a picture of perfection. Both looked so happy and so terribly in love.  
  
"Poor Sano will be heartbroken." Kaoru said softly.  
  
"Don't you think he will go after her, Miss Kaoru?"  
  
"I don't know. He said he would let her go if he had to, but he's crazy about her. It's not easy to let some one you love leave you."   
  
"That it is." Kenshin smiled softly, "It is very hard to leave some one you love. But true love will always find a way. And if it's not true love...Well, then this too shall pass."  
  
Kaoru looked at her feet, feeling very sorry for the ex-fighter-for-hire and a little sorry for herself too. She knew what it was like to have the fear that the person she loved would leave at any time. Michiko was like Kenshin. She was also a wandering soul, looking for the place where she would belong.  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
